BX  7343    ,S5  B3  1879 
Baxter,  William,  1820-1880 
Life  of  Knowles  Shaw 


I 


I 


KNOWLES  SHAW 

THE 

SINGING  EVANGELIST. . 


CENTRAL  BOOK  CONCERN, 

CINCINNATI,  OHIO.  CHICAGO,  ILL. 

1879. 


Copyright  secured  by  Central  Book  Concern,  1879. 


PEEFACE. 


This  book  is  not  the  outgrowth  of  the  author's  mind, 
but  the  record  of  a  life  which  was,  in  many  respects,  a 
very  remarkable  one.  The  material  for  the  book  con- 
sisted of  the  manuscripts  of  the  deceased,  reports  of  his 
work  as  found  in  various  journals,  both  secular  and  re- 
ligious, and  the  personal  recollections  of  those  who  knew 
and  loved  him.  The  writer's  work  has  been  mainly  that 
of  collecting  and  arranging  the  material  from  the  sources 
above  mentioned.  To  one  and  all  who  have  aided  in 
the  work  I  tender  my  hearty  thanks,  and  feel  that  it  will 
be  a  pleasure  for  them  to  know  that  they  have  helped  to 
place  in  a  permanent  form  an  account  of  the  life  and 
labors  of  one  so  worthy  of  being  remembered. 

That  the  hearts  of  the  readers  may  be  stirred,  as  mine 
has  been  while  writing  this  brief  story  of  an  earnest, 
unselfish,  and  useful  life,  is  the  wish  of  the 

Author. 


(iii) 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PAGES 

Birth  and  Parentage — Removal  to  Indiana— State  of  Society — A  Disas- 
ter— Death  of  his  Father — His  Legacy — A  Famous  Fiddler — Jack 
of  all  Trades— Sowing  Wild  Oats,  7-18 

CHAPTER  II. 

Sudden  Change— Scene  in  a  Bail-Room—  Mental  Conflict — Battle  with 
the  Devil— His  Baptism— Thirst  for  Knowledge— Marriage— De- 
cides to  be  a  Preacher,  19-28 

CHAPTER  III. 

Student  and  Teacher — Preacher  and  Temperance  Lecturer — Success 
in  the  Ministry— Method  of  Working —Analysis  of  His  Character- 
Sketch  by  T.  W.  Caskey,  29-38 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Remarkable  Meetings — Lebanon,  Ohio — Wellsburg,  West  Virginia,  and 

Other  Places — Labors  in  1875-6,  39-55 

CHAPTER  V. 

His  Love  for  the  Lost — Blue  Dick — Labors  in  the  Murphy  Movement — 

Singing  "Lambs  of  the  Upper  Fold"  at  a  Child's  Funeral,       .       .  56-66 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Meeting  at  St.  Louis — Great  Interest — Reports  of  the  Press — Results,  .  67-83 
CHAPTER  VII. 

Anecdotes — A  Change  of  Heart  Wanted  -  Scoffer  Silenced — Danger  of 
Immersion— Slanderer  Reproved — Universalists  Answered — Con- 
vention Quieted —Humorous  Answers,    84-93 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
Sketches  of  Several  Sermons — "It  is  I ;  be  not  Afraid" — Pearl  of  Great 
Price— Deceitfulness  of  Sin— Smooth  Things — Good  Works — Tri- 
umphs of  the  Gospel,  94-io4 

(v) 


vi 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

PAGES 

Domestic  Life— Death  of  His  Daughter— Her  Dying  Words— His  Dream 
— Musical  Talent — Musical  Publications— Estimate  of  His  Musical 
Powers — "Bringing  in  the  Sheaves,"  105-iia 

CHAPTER  X. 

Moody  and  Shaw  Compared  and  Contrasted— Extracts  from  the  Sermons 

of  Both — Moody's  Ticket  and  Shaw's,  113-125 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Need  of  Mental   Photograph— A   Specimen   Sermon— How  Readest 

Thou  ?— What  Lack  I  Yet  ?  126-135 

CHAPTER  Xn. 

Not  a  Eulogy,  but  a  Life — Pen  Portrait  by  David  Walk — Meeting  at 

Memphis — Notices  by  the  Memphis  Press,  136-150 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
The  Editor  of  the  Christian  Preacher  on  Shaw's  Method  and  Manner — 
Elder  Caskey's  Review  of  Wilmeth,  and  Opinion  of  Shaw — The 
Editor's  Rejoinder.  151-159 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
Extent  and  Variety  of  His  Labors — Extracts  from  Diary  for  1877 — Last 

Day  at  Home,   160-172 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Brother  Shaw's  Last  Meeting — His  Last  Day— An  Account  of  the 

Wreck,  173-185 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
Funeral  Services  at  Dallas — Closing  Services,  and  Burial  at  Rushville, 

Indiana,  186-196 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
Difference  Between  Our  Judgments  Concerning  the  Living  and  the 

Dead— Memorial  Service  at  Columbus,  Mississippi,    ....  197-215 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
A  Sad  Scene— Strange  Coincidence— Lines  by  G.  W.  Archer— Tribute 
of  Affection — Memorial  Services  at  Jackson,  Mississippi — In  Memo- 
riam,  ,      .  216-228 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
Poem— What  the  "Christian"  and  "Standard"  Said— Challen's  Last 

Song— Farewell,  229-237 


LIFE  OF  KNOWLES  SHAW. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Birth  and  Parentage — Removal  to  Indiana — State  of  Society — 
A  Disaster — Death  of  his  Father — His  Legacy — A  Famous 
Fiddler— Jack  of  all  Trades — Sowiiig  Wild  Oats. 

Knowles  Shaw  was  born  in  Butler  County,  Ohio, 
on  the  13th  of  October,  1834.  His  father,  Albin 
Shaw,  and  mother,  whose  maiden  name  was  Hulddh 
Griffin,  were  of  Scotch  descent.  A  few  weeks  after 
the  birth  of  Knowles,  their  first  child,  they  removed 
to  Rush  County,  Indiana.  That  portion  of  the  State 
was  at  that  time  a  new  settlement ;  indeed  the  whole 
State  was  then  regarded  as  being  ''out  West."  The 
population  was  a  poor  but  hardy  class  of  people, 
but,  as  the  sequel  has  proved,  possessing  the  ele- 
ments necessary  for  growth  and  prosperity.  The 
extent  of  this  growth  since  the  time  of  which  we 
write  is  indeed  marvelous;  from  a  forest  it  has 
become  a  fruitful  field;  from  a  new  country,  desti- 
tute of  nearly  all  the  comforts  and  blessings  of  civil- 
fzed  life,  it  has  become,  within  the  memory  of  those 
yet  living,  dotted  over  with  large  towns  and  cities, 


8 


LIFE  OF 


alive  with  busy  trade  and  the  hum  of  manufactories, 
while  its  railways,  like  the  arms  of  a  giant,  gather 
the  products  of  all  the  lands  between  the  oceans. 
Its  advancement  in  mental  and  moral  culture  has 
kept  pace  with  its  material  prosperity;  the  change 
from  the  almost  unbroken  forest  to  the  cultivated 
farm  has  not  been  greater  than  that  from  the  scanty, 
as  well  as  rude  facilities  for  instruction  to  those  of 
every  grade  now  so  abundant,  from  the  everywhere 
present  common  school  to  the  university,  rich  in  all 
the  appliances  of  scientific  and  classic  learning. 

The  parents  of  the  subject  of  our  story  belonged 
to  the  humble  hard-working  class,  which  form  the 
chief  element  of  all  new  settlements,  and  his  early 
days  were  spent  amid  the  hardships  and  privations 
inseparable  from  a  pioneer  life.  What  he  was  in 
after  life  was  not  on  account  of  any  favorable  sur- 
roundings in  his  earlier  years,  for  the  early  settlers 
in  this  then  new  country  had  too  hard  a  struggle  in 
subduing  the  forest  and  gaining  a  scanty  subsistence 
to  pay  much  attention  to  either  moral  or  intellectual 
culture.  The  means  and  helps  to  such  improve- 
ments, as  in  all  new  localities,  were  either  wanting 
or  of  the  rudest  description,  nor  were  the  school- 
masters and  preachers  of  the  time  wholly  unsuited 
to  the  somewhat  unsightly  buildings  in  which  the 
elements  of  learning  and  religion  were  taught.  Dur- 
ing the  summer  and  fall,  religious  meetings  were 
often  held  under  the  shade  of  the  beeches,  or  in  a 
grove  of  tall  shapely  sugar-trees,  the  hearers  finding 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


9 


natural  seats  on  fallen  trees,  or  on  the  green  sward — 
usually,  however,  the  rude  log  building ;  with  its 
puncheon  floor,  clapboard  roof,  openings  for  win- 
dows, admitting  at  the  same  time  light  and  air,  and 
benches  with  unsteady  legs  and  without  backs ; 
which  during  the  portions  of  the  year  that  could  not 
be  profitably  employed  in  out-door  labor  was  used 
as  a  school-house,  served  as  a  church  as  often  as 
some  John  the  Baptist  of  a  brighter  dispensation  not 
far  distant  was  found  to  call  the  people  to  repent- 
ance or  point  them  to  a  land,  which  to  all  seemed  a 
better  land  because  it  was  a  land  of  rest. 

In  bad  weather  the  leaky  roof  and  open  crannies, 
which  permitted  the  cold  blast  to  enter  too  freely, 
was  a  great  cause  of  discomfort,  and  as  stoves  had 
not  conre  into  general  use  their  place  was  sometimes 
supplied  by  huge  iron  sugar-kettles,  in  which  char- 
coal fires  were  kept  burning,  making  it  more  than 
warm  enough  for  those  who  sat  near  them,  while 
those  more  remote  were  often  pinched  with  cold. 
Both  heat  and  cold,  however,  were  endured  without 
complaint,  for  preaching  was  uncommon  enough  to 
be  a  luxury,  no  matter  how  cold  or  hot  the  house 
might  be;  and  there  are  those  yet  who  go  back  in 
fond  memory  to  those  days,  and  think  that  heaven 
seemed  nearer  then,  with  only  a  roof  that  could  not 
keep  out  the  rain,  than  now,  with  frescoed  ceilings, 
cushioned  seats,  light  softened  by  stained  glass,  spire 
pointing  heavenward,  and  the  bell  calling  all  to  the 
house  of  prayer. 


10 


LIFE  OF 


It  was  in  this  very  region  that  Edward  Eggleston 
laid  the  scene  and  found  much  of  his  material  for 
the  ''Hoosier  Schoolmaster,"  and  **The  End  of  the 
World" — novels  and  romances  we  call  them — but 
many  of  the  scenes  are  drawn  from  real  life  in  South- 
eastern Indiana,  less  than  forty  years  ago.  The  writer 
of  these  pages  spent  several  days  at  a  Millerite  camp- 
meeting  in  that  region  in  the  summer  of  1843,  when 
the  "End  of  the  World,"  the  second  coming  of  Christ, 
was  looked  for  daily,  nay  hourly,  and  heard  from  the 
lips  of  those  who  were  waiting  and  wishing  for  the 
coming  of  the  Son  of  Man  in  the  clouds  of  heaven, 
the  wonderful  dreams  they  had,  and  the  strange  por- 
tents written  on  the  face  of  the  midnight  sky,  which 
assured  them  beyond  all  doubt  that  the  day  of  the 
Lord  was  at  hand.  The  stirring  exhortations  and 
the  sweet  songs,  which  woke  the  forest  echoes  ever 
and  anon  during  the  night-watches,  and  which  wel- 
comed each  dawn  which  might  be  the  dawn  of  the 
last  day  of  time,  are  still  fresh  in  my  memory,  and 
the  glad  hopes  of  those  who  had  given  up  all  earthly 
interests  in  full  assurance  that  the  time  was  at 
hand,  and  the  fears  of  those  not  fully  convinced 
and  wholly  unprepared  for  such  an  event,  made  an 
impression  on  my  mind  of  which  none  but  those 
who  mingled  in  those  scenes  can  form  the  slightest 
conception. 

It  was  not  far  from  this  locality  that  young  Shaw, 
then  a  boy  of  some  nine  or  ten  years  of  age,  was 
then  living.    His  lot  in  life,  as  already  intimated, 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


II 


was  a  lowly  one :  toil  and  privation  came  as  soon  as 
he  was  able  to  endure  the  one  and  feel  the  other. 
Nothing  in  his  horizon  seemed  hopeful,  nothing  to 
indicate  that  he  would  be  known  beyond  the  very 
narrow  circle  in  which  he  moved.  A  heart  here  and 
there  among  companions  as  humble  as  himself  he 
might  bind  to  his  own  in  friendship  or  love,  but 
beyond  this  nothing  but  a  toiler  and  plodder,  who 
would  soon  leave  as  little  trace  of  himself  in  the 
great  world  around  as  the  traveler  whose  footprints 
on  the  sea-shore  are  effaced  by  the  first  returning 
tide.  In  the  meantime  two  other  children,  a  boy 
and  girl,  had  been  added  to  the  family,  making 
greater  the  demands  upon  the  labors  of  the  father, 
which  were  freely  given — for  children  are  even  more 
welcome  in  the  cottage  of  the  poor  than  the  abode 
of  wealth  and  luxury — in  the  former  case  being  the 
greatest  and  almost  only  joy. 

Albin  Shaw  loved  his  children,  and  made  every 
effort  in  an  honorable  way  to  secure  for  them  such 
advantages  as  would  fit  them  for  usefulness  in  after 
life,  or  to  leave  them  and  their  mother  a  competency 
in  the  event  of  his  being  early  called  away.  To  this 
end  he  labored  with  his  hands,  as  farmer  and  tanner, 
traded  in  cattle  at  one  time,  and  finally  engaged  in 
selling  goods  in  a  small  village  in  Rush  County.  He 
would  sometimes  collect  the  three  children  around 
him  and  prognosticate  their  future  by  examining 
their  heads.  That  of  his  oldest  son  was  a  puzzle  to 
him :  his  conclusion  was  that  he  would  make  a  ter- 


12 


LIFE  OF 


rible  bad  man  or  a  very  good  one ;  that  whatever  he 
did  he  would  do  with  all  his  might. 

Knowles,  though  but  a  child,  was  always  busy, 
and  one  of  his  early  inventions  came  near  proving 
a  serious  disaster.  Like  most  boys  he  was  fond  of 
fire-arms;  he  made  a  wooden  gun  and  loaded  it, 
but  all  his  efforts  to  make  it  go  off  were  in  vain. 
As  a  last  resort  he  dropped  a  coal  of  fire  into  the 
muzzle,  which  produced  the  desired  effect  sooner 
than  he  expected,  and  his  face  was  severely  burned. 
Smarting  with  pain  he  got  a  coarse  towel  and  rubbed 
off  the  blistered  skin,  to  escape,  as  he  afterward 
explained,  being  powder-marked.  It  is  needless  to 
say  that  this  was  an  end  to  experiments  in  that 
direction. 

But  a  sad  and  unlooked  for  calamity  was  at  hand. 
The  father,  the  bread-winner  of  the  family,  was  taken 
sick,  soon  became  worse',  and  one  day  feehng  that 
the  end  was  near,  had  Knowles  called  to  his  bed- 
side to  give  him  his  parting  words.  They  were  few 
and  brief — little  more  than,  "  ]My  son,  be  good  to 
your  mother,"  and,  "Prepare  to  meet  your  God." 
His  last  gift  was  a  violin,  which  had  often  been  a 
solace  to  him  in  his  life  of  toil,  and  soon  after  the 
weary  toiler  closed  his  eyes  on  what  had  been  a 
world  of  toil  and  care  to  open  them  on  earth  no 
more. 

This  event  to  the  family  was  a  great  calamity, 
making  their  hard  lot  harder  still,  and  brought  upon 
young  Shaw,  then  about  twelve  years  of  age,  cares 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


13 


and  responsibilities  unknown  before.  Boy  as  he 
was,  he  strove  to  make  his  mother's  burden  Hghter, 
and  labored  to  the  full  extent  of  his  ability  to  aid 
her  in  raising  her  dependent  family.  He  grew  to  be 
a  stout,  hearty  youth,  able  when  but  a  boy  in  years 
to  do  a  man's  work ;  and  this  he  did  not  only  with- 
out complaint,  but  cheerfully,  showing  that  the 
dying  father's  words,  "Be  good  to  your  mother," 
had  not  been  forgotten.  Nor  did  he  forget  his 
father's  legacy,  the  old  violin.  From  infancy  music 
had  been  a  passion;  and  now  all  his  spare  moments, 
when  the  toils  of  the  day  were  over,  were  devoted 
to  his  father's  gift,  and  he  soon  was  able  to  play 
upon  it  with  the  ease  and  skill  known  only  to  a  born 
musician.  A  talent  like  this  could  not  be  kept 
secret.  The  neighbors  would  often  drop  in  to  see 
the  widow  Shaw,  but  never  left  until  Knowles  had 
been  called  on  for  a  tune — one  only  paved  the  way 
for  another,  and  the  evening  would  wear  into  night 
before  the  listeners  were  aware  how  the  hours  had 
sped  by.  It  soon  came  to  pass  that  he  was  invited 
to  play  at  other  places  than  at  home ;  and  in  a  short 
time  no  social  gathering  or  merry-making  of  any 
kind  was  complete  unless  enlivened  by  the  merry 
strains  of  his  violin. 

But  under  all  this  there  lurked  a  great  danger; 
and  when  the  circumstances  are  known  there  is  little 
cause  for  wonder  that  he  fell  into  the  snare.  One  of 
the  greatest  evils  of  the  times  of  which  we  write  was 
intemperance.    At  all  gatherings  in  a  new  settle- 


14 


LIFE  OF 


ment,  no  matter  what  the  object  might  be,  whisky 
seemed  a  necessity.  A  political  gathering  without 
this  stimulant  to  patriotism  was  unknown ;  the  can- 
didate for  office  who  was  not  willing  to  treat  those 
whose  votes  he  sought  was  very  likely  to  obtain  but 
few  on  election  day,  while  he  who  furnished  a  goo'd 
supply  of  the  ardent  did  not  lack  a  goodly  number 
of  ardent  supporters.  The  harvest  could  not  be 
gathered  without  liquor;  a  house  or  barn-raising,  or 
corn-husking,  generally  ended  in  a  drunken  revel. 
At  weddings  and  all  merry-makings  liquor  was  used 
without  stint,  and  it  was  not  even  banished  from 
funerals,  for  it  seemed  to  possess  the  power  of  excit- 
ing mirth  and  assuaging  the  bitterness  of  grief. 
Large  religious  meetings  were  not  entirely  free  from 
its  presence,  and  if  a  preacher  indulged  in  a  little, 
lie  was  thought  none  the  less  devout  on  that  account. 
Whisky  was  indispensable  at  the  meeting  of  friends, 
and  a  little  was  also  deemed  necessary  at  parting, 
and  to  refuse  the  proffered  glass  was  a  species  of 
rudeness  almost  unheard  of. 

Brought  up  amid  such  surroundings  it  is  not  to 
be  wondered  at  that  young  Shaw,  who  was  of  a 
social,  lively  and  excitable  temperament,  should 
soon  acquire  a  taste  for  strong  drink.  He  was  the 
life  of  every  social  gathering,  a  favorite  especially 
with  the  young,  his  musical  skill  the^admiration  of 
the  whole  settlement,  and  it  is  not  to  be  wondered 
at  that  he  was  often  the  soul  of  the  revel  and  the 
gayest  of  the  gay.    Hundreds  of  young  people  in 


KXOWLES  SHAW. 


15 


those  days  danced  to  his  music;  every  year  wit- 
nessed an  increase  of  his  skill,  and  with  it  was  an 
increased  demand  for  his  presence  and  ser\^ices. 
He  sang  a  good  song,  had  quite  a  vein  of  mimicr\', 
and,  though  rude  and  unpolished,  he  seemed  less  so 
from  his  constant  mingling  in  society  than  many  of 
his  rude  companions,  and,  it  must  be  added,  came 
near  being  drawn  into  the  vortex  of  dissipation 
beyond  the  power  of  successful  resistance.  In  addi- 
tion to  what  we  have  said  above,  there  was  another 
feature  in  the  course  he  was  pursuing  that  had  a 
great  tendency  to  keep  and  confirm  him  in  it.  His 
musical  talent  had  become  a  source  of  profit.  At 
every  gathering  where  his  services  were  in  demand 
a  sum  of  money,  sometimes  quite  a  handsome  one, 
was  the  reward  of  his  skill.  This  money  he  never 
wasted.  He  remembered  well  the  injunction  of  his 
dying  father:  ** Be  good  to  your  mother;"  and  into 
her  hands  went  nearly  all  his  gains.  Even  up  to  this 
period,  when  he  was  rapidly  changing  from  boyhood 
to  manhood,  he  seems  to  have  thought  of  no  higher 
career  than  that  into  which  he  had  insensibly  drifted. 
No  one  dreamed  of  him  being  very  much  different 
from  what  he  was,  and  he  had  no  higher  ambition 
than  that  of  being  a  good  fellow  and  the  best  fiddler 
in  the  settlement. 

Though  content  with  this  he  had  abilities  in  other 
directions ;  none,  however,  so  marked,  or  in  such 
demand  as  his  talent  for  music.  In  other  respects 
many  of  his  companions  were  his  equals,  but  in 


i6 


LIFE  OF 


music  he  bore  away  the  palm.  His  father,  as  we  have 
seen,  was  merchant,  stock-dealer,  tanner,  farmer,  and 
also  possessed  of  some  musical  taste  and  skill.  In 
this  ability  to  turn  his  hand  to  almost  anything  his 
son  not  only  resembled,  but  greatly  excelled  him. 
He  learned  to  make  shoes  in  a  single  week,  made 
grain-cradles  for  the  neighbors,  was  a  carpenter,  plas-  , 
terer,  and  on  one  occasion  greatly  astonished  a  watch- 
maker from  whom  he  obtained  permission  to  use  his 
tools,  by  taking  his  watch  to  pieces,  cleaning  it,  and 
putting  it  together  again  in  good  order,  as  if  clean- 
ing a  watch  were  an  every-day  affair  with  him.  He 
knew  so  many  things  from  the  habit  of  close  obser- 
vation that  he  had  cultivated,  that  one  of  the  neigh- 
bors quaintly  expressed  the  general  sentiment  in 
regard  to  him  by  saying  that  "Knowles  Shaw's  head 
was  like  a  tar-bucket,  for  everything  that  touched  it 
stuck  to  it." 

After  he  grew  older  he  spent  a  short  time  as  a 
clerk  in  a  store,  taught  school  several  terms,  and 
having  at  one  time  fallen  in  with  a  teacher  who  pro- 
fessed to  be  able  to  give  instructions  in  Greek  and 
Latin,  he  became  a  pupil,  and  in  one  month  learned 
all  his  teacher  knew.  Whether  this  was  <lue  to  the 
aptness  of  the  pupil,  or  to  the  meager  attainments 
of  the  teacher,  tradition  does  not  inform  us.  But 
we  are  anticipating  the  order  of  events,  and  must 
resume  the  thread  of  our  narrative. 

He  was  now  nearly  eighteen  years  of  age,  a  man 
in  size,  tall,  angular,  somewhat  awkward,  but  kind- 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


17 


hearted,  good-tempered,  and  industrious,  which  ren- 
dered him  a  general  favorite. 

As  far  as  book-learning  was  concerned,  he  was 
extremely  deficient.  The  few  facilities  for  improve- 
ment that  might  have  been  used  he  was  obliged  to 
neglect,  in  order  to  meet  the  demands  made  upon 
him  by  the  family,  which  regarded  him  as  their  chief 
dependence.  To  labor  for  them  seemed  a  pleasure, 
as  well  as  a  duty,  and  the  self-denial  he  had  to  prac- 
tice in  order  to  provide  for  them  was  cheerfully 
endured. 

It  will  not  surprise  the  reader,  in  view  of  what  has 
been  said  in  regard  to  the  company  he  kept  and  the 
habits  he  had  learned,  that  he  did  not  seem  to  be 
religiously  inclined.  His  position  to  Christianity, 
however,  was  rather  that  of  neglect  and  indifference 
than  of  dislike  and  opposition.  The  gay  and  thought- 
less were  his  companions.  Like  himself,  many  of 
them  were  "sowing  their  wild  oats, "  without  stop- 
ping to  ask  the  question.  What  shall  the  harvest 
be?  And  nothing  doubtless,  at  this  period,  would 
have  seemed  more  improbable  to  him  and  all  who 
knew  him  than  that  he  should  become  a  Christian, 
and  also  a  preacher  of  that  faith  to  others. 

Previous  to  this  time  the  movement  called  the 
Reformation,  but  more  generally  known  as  "Camp- 
bellism,"  had  made  considerable  progress  in  Rush 
County,  being  advocated  with  great  zeal  and  ability 
by  several  preachers  whose  names  have  long  been 
household  words,  not  only  in  that  locality  but  all 
2 


i8 


LIFE  OF 


over  the  State  and  thrdughout  the  West — such  as  B. 
Franklin,  H.  R.  Pritchard,  B.  K.  Smith,  and  George 
Campbell.  Several  churches  had  been  organized, 
and,  among  others,  one  known  as  the  Flat  Rock 
congregation,  in  the  neighborhood  where  young 
Shaw  was  living. 

The  views  of  the  new  religious  party  of  course 
had  given  rise  to  much  discussion,  and  the  contro- 
versial discourses  of  the  ministers  of  other  bodies, 
who  disputed  its  claims,  and  those  of  that  body,  in 
turn  in  defense,  gave  more  than  usual  interest  to  the 
preaching  of  that  period,  especially  when  a  man  of 
more  than  ordinary  ability  from  either  party  was  to 
hold  forth.  On  such  occasions  large  crowds  were 
wont  to  assemble,  and  among  them  the  young  fiddler, 
not  from  any  special  interest,  perhaps,  in  the  subject 
under  discussion,  but  because  everybody  was  there. 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


19 


CHAPTER  II. 


Sudden  Change — Scene  in  a  Ball-Room — Mortal  Conflict — 
Battle  with  the  Devil — His  Baptism — Thirst  for  Knowl- 
edge— Marriage — Decides  to  be  a  Preacher. 

But  a  nature  like  his  was  not  to  run  wild  and  to 
waste ;  a  nobler  career  than  that  of  ministering  to 
the  pleasures  of  the  thoughtless  and  mirth-loving 
was  soon  to  open  before  him  ;  instead  of  being  the 
leader  in  every  scene  of  gayety  and  folly,  he  was 
soon  to  enter  upon  a  life  of  lofty  purpose  and  toil, 
and  to  turn  the  feet  of  thousands  into  the  way  of 
righteousness  and  peace. 

This  great  change  in  the  current  of  his  thoughts 
and  life  was  sudden,  and  had  a  strange  beginning. 
One  night  he  was  playing  the  violin  for  a  large  com- 
pany of  dancers,  and  in  that  most  unlikely  of  all 
places  for  serious  thought,  there  came  into  his  mind 
the  dying  advice  of  his  father,  in  the  impressive 
words  of  the  prophet:  Prepare  to  meet  thy  God." 
They  came  unbidden ;  they  forced  themselves  upon 
him  with  a  power  that  he  could  not  resist;  they 
seemed  to  him  not  only  a  voice  from  the  grave  but 


20 


LIFE  OF 


a  message  from  heaven.  Still  the  dance  went  on; 
but  the  gayer  the  crowd  became,  the  sadder  grew 
the  heart  of  the  player,  whose  mirthful  strains  were 
at  such  variance  with  the  solemn  thoughts  with  which 
his  mind  was  occupied. 

A  young  lady  observing  the  sadness  of  his  look, 
and  the  abstraction  of  his  manner,  approached  him 
and  said:  "Knowly,  what  is  the  matter?"  He  told 
without  reserve  the  state  of  his  mind  ;  and  it  was 
with  strange  feelings  that  she  resumed  her  place 
through  the  set,  to  music  which  she  knew  mocked 
the  feelings  of  the  sad-hearted  player.  The  dance 
ceased;  another  set  was  formed,  and  all  were  waiting 
for  the  music  to  begin.  To  the  astonishment  of  all, 
Shaw,  in  response  to  the  call  to  "strike  up,"  said  he 
could  not  play  any  more.  A  dozen  voices  called  on 
him  to  begin,  when  he  gravely  walked  out  into  the 
middle  of  the  floor  and  told  all  that  had  been  pass- 
ing through  his  mind;  told  of  his  father's  dying 
words,  neglected  till  then,  and  expressed  his  deter- 
mination never  to  play  for  another  dance.  He  ex- 
pressed regret  for  his  past  course  of  life;  that  it 
was  not  such  as  it  should  have  been;  that  it  might 
do  if  this  life  were  all;  but  in  view  of  the  life  to 
come,  he  must  pursue  another  course.  He  then 
asked  the  company,  about  forty  in  all,  to  promise 
that  they  would  throw  no  hindrance  in  the  way  of 
his  attempt  to  lead  a  new  life.  His  sadness,  man- 
liness, and  earnestness  reached  their  hearts.  They 
gave  the  promise  he  asked;  and  to  their  honor  be  it 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


21 


said,  they  not  only  kept  it,  but  some  of  them  even 
gave  him  help  and  encouragement  to  keep  the 
resolve  which  under  such  strange  surroundings  he 
had  made.  This  proved  to  be  no  passing  fancy;  it 
was  the  turning  point  in  his  life;  and  to  the  life 
which  he  had  been  leading  he  never  from  that  hour 
longingly  looked  back. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  this  was  the  act  of  a 
somewhat  rough  and  uneducated  country  boy,  but 
only  the  nobler  and  more  remarkable  on  that  account. 
It  displayed  a  moral  courage,  heroic  as  well  as  rare, 
and  showed  the  awakening  of  a  great  soul  to  the 
solemn  duties  and  responsibilities  of  life.  ^ 

In  a  mood  far  different  from  his  usual  one  on  leav- 
ing such  scenes  of  festivity,  he  reached  his  home 
that  night,  and  found  his  mother  sitting  up  for  him. 
But  his  manner  was  greatly  changed;  instead  of  a 
lively  description  of  the  great  dancing  party,  and 
imitations^of  the  various  characters  there,  which  his 
talent  for  mimicry  often  led  him  to  indulge  in,  he 
was  silent  and  thoughtful.  He  asked  for  a  bowl  of 
bread  and  milk,  and  when  he  had  eaten  asked  for  a 
blanket,  and  wrapped  in  this  he  passed  the  night  on 
the  floor.  For  several  days  he  ate  nothing  but  a 
little  bread  and  milk,  and  spent  the  nights  on  the 
floor,  wrapped  in  his  blanket.  During  this  time  he 
seldom  closed  his  eyes,  and  was  evidently  passing 
through  a  severe  mental  conflict.  To  his  mother's 
frequent  entreaties  to  tell  her  his  trouble,  he  made 
^T.ply  that  he  was  having  a  battle  with  the  devil. 


22 


LIFE  OF 


All  the  difficulties  of  the  course  he  had  entered  upon 
came  vividly  before  him ;  the  possibility  of  the  family 
suffering  for  lack  of  the  help  his  violin  had  enabled 
him  to  afford  them ;  the  difficulty  of  providing  for 
them  by  manual  labor;  the  power  of  appetite  to 
which  he  had  yielded ;  the  associations  which  he  had 
formed  which  must  be  broken,  made  those  sleepless 
nights  seem  long  and  terrible.  Any  thought  of  yield- 
ing he  regarded  as  the  whispering  of  the  devil;  he 
struggled  on  and  was  victorious. 

He  now  began  to  attend  the  services  at  the  Flat 
Rock  Church  with  a  feeling  and  purpose  far  different 
from  that  which  had  taken  him  there  before ;  the 
clear  scriptural  views  presented  were  like  light  from 
heaven  to  one  who  had  long  walked  in  darkness; 
and  after  a  sermon  from  Gabriel  McDuffie,  and  an 
exhortation  by  Elder  George  Campbell,  he  publicly 
confessed  his  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  was  immersed 
by  George  Thomas,  the  elder  of  the  church,  on  the 
13th  of  September,  1852. 

What  a  treasure  now  would  be  a  full  report  of  the 
doings  of  that  bright  autumn  day;  the  discourse  of 
"Uncle  Gabriel,"  as  the  preacher  was  affectionately 
called ;  the  exhortation  of  George  Campbell,  a  Boan- 
erges in  zeal,  and  rising,  as  many  still  remember, 
when  calling  sinners  to  repentance,  to  the  highest 
degree  of  tender  and  pathetic  entreaty;  the  company 
gathered  on  the  banks  of  the  stream ;  the  words  of 
prayer  at  the  administration  of  the  solemn  rite ;  the 
sweet  song  at  the  close,  and  the  serene  joy  of  the 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


23 


young  convert,  in  the  assurance  that  he  was  Christ's, 
and  that  Christ  was  his.  All  this  must  be  left  to  the 
imagination.  But  one  thing  is  certain :  that  there 
would  have  been  even  a  deeper  feeling  and  an  intenser 
joy  could  the  godly  men  who  took  part  in  the  doings 
of  that  day  have  foreseen  the  multitudes  the  young 
convert  should  bring  to  the  Master's  feet.  As  it  was, 
to  young  Shaw  it  was  a  day  never  to  be  forgotten. 
From  that  hour,  life  had  to  him  a  new  meaning ;  it 
was  no  longer  to  be  a  mere  struggle  for  the  bread 
that  perishes,  but  an  endeavor  for  a  better  life 
beyond  the  present — a  race  in  which  an  immortal 
crown  might  be  won. 

Many  predicted  that  he  would  soon  be  as  careless 
and  jolly  as  ever;  and  when  they  observed  the  atten- 
tion paid  him  by  Uncle  Gabriel  McDuffie,  under 
whose  ministry  he  had  been  converted,  and  who 
strove  to  help  and  encourage  him  all  in  his  power, 
they  said,  with  a  sneering  smile:  "The  old  man  is 
wasting  his  time  on  Shaw ;  he'll  soon  be  back  in  the 
ball-room,  fiddling  as  lively  as  ever."  This  came  to 
Shaw's  ears,  and  he  said  that  he  hoped  to  prove 
himself  worthy  of  the  old  brother's  attention  and 
care ;  he  conducted  himself  toward  him  as  a  son  in 
the  gospel,  and  it  cheered  the  old  man's  heart  to 
find  that  the  seed  he  had  sown  was  not  in  vain. 

He  now  felt  more  painfully  than  ever  his  lack  of 
education,  and  at  once  set  about  to  remedy  that 
defect.  In  consequence  of  being  compelled  to  labor 
constantly  to  supply  the  needs  of  those  who  were 


24 


LIFE  OF 


dependent  upon  him,  his  progress  was  slow;  still  he 
contrived  to  gather  and  retain  much  useful  knowl- 
edge. He  had  an  excellent  memory,  a  quick  and 
lively  fancy,  some  readiness  of  expression ;  and  these 
all  combined  had  the  effect  of  making  him  seem 
better  informed  than  many  who  had  enjoyed  far 
superior  advantages,  but  who  could  not  use  as  freely 
as  he  the  stores  which  they  possessed.  It  must  not 
be  inferred  from  the  above  that  he  had  attained  to 
any  great  degree  of  scholarship.  Such  was  not  the 
case.  In  even  elementary  training  he  was  extremely 
deficient;  but  he  made  the  best  possible  use  of  what 
he  heard  and  read,  and  thus  laid  up  a  magazine  of 
facts  which  he  was  able  to  turn  to  a  good  account  in 
after  years. 

His  thirst  for  knowledge  increased  with  every 
acquisition;  and  while  he  had  not  the  least  idea  at 
that  time  of  entering  public  life,  he  was  uncon- 
sciously preparing  himself  for  such  a  work  as  that  to 
which  he  afterward  was  providentially  called.  He 
was  a  faithful  and  consistent  member  of  the  church 
all  this  time,  growing  stronger  every  day,  and  highly 
esteemed  by  his  fellow-members. 

Over  two  years  of  such  a  life  as  we  have  described 
passed  away,  and  we  find  him  working  as  a  farm 
hand  for  one  of  the  neighbors,  Mr.  George  R.  Finley, 
for  whose  daughter  Martha  he  in  process  of  time 
conceived  a  high  regard.  This  feeling  was  mutual, 
and  ripened  into  something  more  than  esteem;  and 
it  was  soon  the  old  story,  that  has  been  repeated 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


25 


over  and  over  again.  They  became  more  than  all 
besides  to  each  other,  and  they  were  married  on  the 
nth  of  January,  1855.  He  was  at  this  time  only  a 
few  months  over  twenty  years  of  age,  poor  in  this 
world's  goods,  but  hopeful  and  buoyant  in  spirit. 
With  a  stout  heart  and  strong  hands,  he  saw  no 
reason  why  life  should  not  be  a  success. 

Nearly  four  years  of  his  married  life  passed,  one 
of  which  was  spent  in  Missouri,  with  little  to  mark 
it  beyond  what  is  common  to  an  industrious,  hard- 
working man.  Each  day  brought  its  toil,  and  at  the 
same  time  the  simple  home-born  joys,  which  are  the 
dearest  heritage  of  the  poor.  During  these  years 
the  young  couple  were  blessed  with  two  children, 
Georgie  Anna,  born  on  the  3d  of  June,  1856,  and 
Mary  Elizabeth,  born  on  the  31st  of  October,  1858. 
All  this  time  Knowles  was  faithful  in  the  discharge 
of  his  religious  duties ;  would  now  and  then  take 
some  humble  part  in  the  sacred  services,  but  gave 
no  special  promise  of  future  usefulness  beyond  that 
of  a  humble,  godly  life.  On  one  occasion,  at  a  grove 
meeting,  he  was  called  on  to  say  something.  He  rose 
and  said:  "Brethren  and  sisters,  I  have  not  very 
much  to  say ;  but  I  am  thankful  to  the  Lord  for  the 
mercy  he  has  shown  me.  When  I  first  joined  the 
church  I  thought  that  was  all  I  had  to  do ;  but  one 
day  Squire  Layton  said  to  me:  ^Shaw,  if  you  were 
out  of  corn,  and  some  kind,  good  man,  would  say, 
"  Come  to  my  crib  and  get  all  the  corn  you  want,  and 
I  will  charge  you  nothing  for  it,"  would  you  take  the 


26 


LIFE  OF 


corn  and  go  away  without  thanking  him?'  I  replied, 
'No,  sir.'  'Then,'  added  he,  ^when  the  Lord  gives 
you  the  hope  of  everlasting  life,  will  you  not  thank 
him?'  I  said,  'Yes.'  And  I  do  thank  him  from  the 
depths  of  my  heart." 

As  already  intimated,  he  had  made  some  efforts 
at  self-improvement,  and  not  wholly  in  vain ;  but  his 
knowledge  was  fragmentary,  and  as  yet  he  was 
almost  entirely  without  that  training  of  the  mmd 
which  alone  deserves  the  name  of  education. 

On  the  third  Lord's  Day  of  October,  1858,  from 
some  cause  or  other,  he  was  called  on  to  talk  to  the 
people  who  had  gathered  for  worship.  He  made 
the  attempt  with  some  diffidence  and  confusion  at 
first;  but  gradually  gaining  his  self-possession,  he 
made  a  brief  address,  marked  by  such  good  sense, 
and  delivered  with  such  unaffected  earnestness,  that 
his  hearers  were  satisfied  that  they  had  before 
them  one  possessed  of  the  elements  of  a  successful 
preacher.  As  a  trial  sermon  before  an  assemblage 
of  ministers,  it  would  doubtless  have  been  regarded 
as  greatly  lacking  in  most  of  the  elements  of  a  pop- 
ular address;  but  his  hearers  judged  by  their  hearts, 
by  what  they  felt,  and  the  decision  rendered  by 
nearly  all  was,  that  Knowles  Shaw  would  make  a 
preacher.  No  one  was  more  surprised  at  the  effect 
of  the  discourse  than  the  speaker  himself.  In  his 
deep  regard  and  warm  admiration  for  the  men  upon 
whose  ministry  he  had  attended  with  such  profit  and 
pleasure,  he  had  not  thought  it  possible  that  he 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


27 


could  ever  become  such  an  instrument  of  good  to 
his  fellows  as  they.  The  ice,  however,  was  fairly 
broken ;  many  were  convinced  that  he  possessed  the 
elements  of  great  usefulness.  Frequent  opportuni- 
ties were  afforded  for  the  exercise  of  his  newly-found 
talent,  and  each  exercise  of  it  served  to  confirm  the 
first  impression  he  had  made. 

He  was  now  twenty-four  years  of  age,  with  less 
confidence  in  his  natural  abilities  for  public  life  and 
usefulness,  than  most  of  those  who  were  advising 
him  to  that  course,  and  with  a  far  deeper  conscious- 
ness of  his  defective,  nay,  almost  utter  lack  of  edu- 
cation. This  was  one  of  the  great  turning  points  in 
his  life,  and  what  was  duty,  was  pondered  over  with 
an  intensity  not  inferior  to  that  which  marked  the 
period  described  in  the  preceding  portion  of  the 
chapter,  when,  during  the  watches  of  many  a  sleep- 
less night,  he  struggled  against  Satan  and  gained 
a  victory. 

That  one  in  such  a  lowly  condition  in  life,  and  so 
little  enlightened  in  point  of  learning,  should  feel  so 
deeply  may  appear  strange ;  but  it  must  not  be  for- 
gotten that  he  was  both  poet  and  musician,  and 
though  his  powers  as  such  had  not  been  developed 
to  any  great  extent  at  this  time,  he  had  even  then 
the  musician's  sensitive  nature  and  the  poet's  heart. 
There  was  slumbering  in  his  breast  at  that  time  a 
power  to  move  men  which  no  man  among  the  hun- 
dreds of  thousands  among  his  brethren  ever  pos- 
sessed to  the  same  degree — a  power  possessed  by 


28 


LIFE  OF 


few  in  this  generation — and  it  was  this  that  made 
a  mental  struggle  greater  with  him  than  with  other 
men.  Prayer,  and  deep,  earnest  reflection,  marked 
these  days.  The  advice  of  trusted  friends,  especially 
that  of  Uncle  Gabriel,  was  carefully  weighed ;  and 
the  result  was  a  decision  to  devote  his  days  to  the 
great  work  of  preaching  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


29 


CHAPTER  III. 


Stude?it  and  Teacher — Preacher  and  Temperance  Lecturer — 
Success  in  the  Ministry — Method  of  Working — Analysis  of 
his  Character — Sketch  by  T.  W.  Caskey. 

His  true  vocation  was  found  at  last,  and  to  it  he 
felt  all  his  powers  must  be  made  tributary;  and  his 
future  life  showed  an  entire  consecration  to  his  work. 
His  education  at  this  time  was  little  more  than 
begun,  and  for  some  time  he  was  teacher  and  pupil — 
teaching  what  he  knew  in  the  district  school,  and  at 
the  same  time  learning  as  he  could,  what  was  most 
important  for  him  to  know  in  regard  to  the  life-work 
on  which  he  had  entered. 

One  of  his  pupils  at  that  time,  but  now  a  lawyer 
in  Rush  County,  says,  "the  district  in  which  Shaw 
taught  had  rather  a  bad  name,  the  boys  generally 
managing  the  school  instead  of  the  teacher.  The 
first  day  of  the  term  we  were  all  on  hand,  wondering 
how  he  would  suit,  and  from  what  we  had  heard  of 
him  rather  incHned  to  think  that  our  rule  would  con- 
tinue. Our  teacher  was  a  very  tall  man,  three  or 
four  inches  over  six  feet,  rather  slender,  with  large 


30 


LIFE  OF 


hands  and  feet — able,  from  all  appearance,  to  enforce 
whatever  rules  he  might  prescribe.  He  had  an  agree- 
able voice,  and  quite  a  pleasant  expression  of  coun- 
tenance ;  and  the  first  impression  was  a  favorable 
one.  He  called  the  school  to  order,  and  gave  us  hi? 
rules;  indeed,  he  had  but  one,  which  he  announce(^ 
somewhat  as  follows :  *  Boys,  I  expect  you  to  do  as 
I  do  ;  what  I  do  and  say  you  are  at  liberty  to  dc 
and  say;  if  I  lie,  you  can  lie;  if  I  swear,  you  can 
swear;  if  I  fight,  you  can  fight;  but  if  you  do  any 
of  these  things  and  I  don't,  you  will  get  a  whip- 
ping.' No  one  was  whipped  that  term.  There  was 
crying  done  at  the  close  of  the  term  by  nearly  all  of 
us,  but  it  was  because  we  had  to  part  with  our 
teacher,  whom  we  had  soon  come  to  regard  as  our 
best  friend.  When  there  was  any  work  to  be  done 
about  the  school-house  or  yard  he  was  ahvays  first 
to  begin,  and  then  say,  'Come  on'  to  the  boys,  who 
never  refused  to  follow  his  example.  We  all  got  to 
like  him,  and  when  he  preached  we  were  sure  to  be 
present.  We  also  got  him  to  make  temperance 
addresses,  and  we  all  did  our  part  to  make  such 
meetings  a  success.  I  remember  well  when  he  was 
to  make  his  first  temperance  speech,  that  an  old 
toper  who  was  there  was  talking  very  hard  about 
Shaw  before  he  came,  on  account  of  his  views  on 
temperance;  but  when  he  came  the  old  man  went  in 
to  hear  him,  and  before  the  lecture  was  over  he  was 
crying  like  a  child,  and  said  he  had  never  seen  the 
subject  in  that  light  before." 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


31 


All  this  time  he  was  preaching,  whenever  and 
wherever,  he  found  an  opportunity.  His  improve- 
ment was  very  marked.  He  began  to  receive  invi- 
tations to  preach  at  various  places  in  the  county, 
and  when  scarcely  a  year  had  passed  after  he  entered 
fully  upon  his  work,  he  was  regarded  as  a  useful 
man,  and  one  who  gave  great  promise  of  increased 
usefulness  in  the  future.  His  musical  talent,  too, 
now  began  to  attract  far  more  attention  than  when 
his  skill  on  the  violin  was  the  admiration  of  all  the 
pleasure-loving  people  for  miles  around;  even  more 
than  by  his  preaching,  were  multitudes  moved  and 
melted  by  his  songs;  and  soon  he  was  widely  known 
as  the     Singing  Evangelist." 

He  was  now  fairly  launched  upon  his  wonderful 
career,  which  brought  so  much  toil  to  him,  and  so 
much  blessedness  to  those  for  whom  his  labor  was 
given.  Conversions  began  to  attend  his  labors,  and 
this  only  stimulated  him  to  greater  effort.  God,  he 
felt,  was  thus  owning  his  work  in  the  salvation  of  his 
fellow-men. 

The  first  record  we  can  find  of  his  success  is  in 
the  Millemiial  Harbinger  for  186 1,  only  about  two 
years  after  he  began  to  preach.  It  is  as  follows: 
"  Brother  Knowles  Shaw,  a  young  evangelist,  writing 
from  Rushville,  Indiana,  says:  'At  all  my.  meetings 
this  year  some  sixty  persons  have  enlisted  under  the 
banner  of  Christ.'"  Under  date  of  August  28th,  of  % 
the  same  year,  we  hear  from  him  again  in  these 
terms:  "At  our  meeting  in  Hamilton  County  there 


32 


LIFE  OF 


were  three  additions  by  confession  and  immersion. 
Brother  Van  Winkle  was  with  us  during  the  meet- 
ing. At  a  meeting  at  New  Hope,  of  ten  days'  con- 
tinuance, there  were  fifty-one  additions — forty-three 
by  confession  and  baptism.  Brother  H.  R.  Pritchard 
was  with  us  a  part  of  the  time.  We  also  held  a  meet- 
ing in  Madison  County,  where  there  were  seventeen 
additions.  And  during  our  last  visit  to  the  brethren 
at  Little  Flat  Rock  there  were  four  additions.  We 
have  determined  to  preach  the  gospel,  the  whole 
gospel,  and  nothing  but  the  gospel,  to  the  best  of 
our  ability." 

His  life  had  always  been  one  of  great  activity.  It 
was  not  less  so  now,  but  in  an  entire  different  direc- 
tion. He  knew  nothing  of  the  usual  routine  of  a 
preacher's  life,  either  in  his  preparation  for  his  work 
or  the  actual  performance  of  it.  Of  theology  he 
knew  nothing,  only  as  he  had  heard  it  from  the  pul- 
pits of  the  various  religious  parties,  and  he  had  no 
narrow  creed  of  his  own  to  cramp  and  fetter  his 
powers.  Instead  of  living  in  a  library,  with  books 
only  for  his  companions,  and  bringing  before  the 
people  once  or  twice  a  week  the  results  of  his  read- 
ing and  study,  he  came  before  them  with  a  message 
drawn  from  the  one  Book,  and  suited  to  the  wants  of 
men  in  all  the  various  conditions  in  which  they  are 
found.  He  was  the  farthest  possible  remove  from 
the  conventional  preacher  in  almost  every  particu- 
lar— in  dress,  manners,  habits,  and  intercourse  with 
men ;  and  the  reader  will  fail  utterly  in  his  concep- 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


33 


tion  of  him  if  he  thinks  of  him  as  an  average  modern 
preacher,  differing  in  only  a  few  unimportant  partic- 
ulars from  all  the  rest  of  his  class.  He  lived  among 
the  people  whom  he  taught  and  strove  to  save,  as 
one  of  them  ;  his  visits  were  not  of  a  solemn  and 
formal  character;  he  sought  them  in  the  shop,  the 
forest,  the  field ;  a  street  conversation  was  often  the 
occasion  of  impressing  serious  reflections  on  the 
minds  of  those  he  met.  Instead  of  delaying  the 
work  of  those  he  called  upon,  he  would  take  hold 
and  help  while  he  talked,  and  thus  release  them 
from  anything  like  constraint ;  learn  all  their  wants, 
doubts,  troubles,  and  also  enter  into  their  joys,  and 
leave  them  better  far  for  the  call  and  with  minds 
made  up,  even  without  an  invitation,  to  hear  him 
preach  the  next  Sunday  without  fail.  He  had  a  song 
for  the  children  of  the  families  that  he  dropped  in  to 
see,  and  cheered  the  parents,  while  apparently  seek- 
ing to  please  the  children.  If  the  clock  was  out  of 
order,  a  few  touches  from  his  hand  would  often  set 
it  right;  if  the  sewing-machine  would  not  work  it 
was  soon  in  smooth  running  order,  and  the  good 
wife  thought  no  less  of  the  preacher  who  was  so 
handy,  and  not  at  all  stuck  up,  but  just  like  other 
folks. 

Few  men  could  get  better  acquainted  in  a  strange 
place  sooner  than  he.  During  one  of  his  meetings 
he  would  be  going  nearly  all  the  time,  from  morning 
till  night,  going  into  nearly  every  place  of  business, 
and  getting  acquainted  with  everybody.  If  a  death 
3 


34 


LIFE  OF 


took  place  he  needed  no  invitation  to  attend  the 
funeral,  and  sometimes  gave  consolation,  which  was 
all  the  sweeter  to  the  sorrowing  from  the  fact  that  it 
was  the  offering  of  a  stranger.  Once  when  in  a 
strange  city  he  wandered  out  to  the  graveyard. 
While  there  a  young  child  was  brought  for  burial ; 
the  parents  were  not  members  of  any  church ;  he 
joined  the  sad  company,  talked  a  little  at  the  grave, 
sang  one  of  his  tender  songs,  and  made  such  an 
impression  on  the  mourning  ones  that  they  came  to 
hear  him  preach  that  same  evening. 

In  this  way  he  made  himself  acquainted  with 
human  life  in  all  its  phases,  and  by  mingHng  freely 
with  society  during  the  week,  he  knew  how  to  meet 
their  various  wants  when  he  met  them  on  Sunday  at 
the  house  of  God.  His  chief  studies  were  the  Bible 
and  human  nature,  and  the  great  secret  of  his  power 
over  men  consisted  in  first  learning  their  precise 
needs,  and  then  meeting  those  needs  with  what  the 
word  of  God  furnished.  This  made  his  sermons 
often  lack  in  unity;  but  if  varied  they  were  not 
more  so  than  the  circumstances  of  his  hearers,  and 
when  the  greatest  number  of  those  was  reached  his 
end  was  accomplished.  He  was  fertile  in  illustration ; 
his  knowledge  of  men  and  things  gave  him  a  rich 
store  of  striking  similes  and  figures.  He  drew  largely, 
also,  from  his  own  experience,  and,  though  neither 
learned  nor  profound,  he  seldom  failed  in  one  way  or 
other  to  reach  every  one  of  his  hearers.  But,  above 
all,  he  was  deeply  in  earnest ;  all  who  came  in  con- 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


35 


tact  with  him  realized  that.  He  needed  not  the 
inspiration  of  a  crowd  to  call  forth  his  powers ;  if  he 
had  but  few,  or,  as  on  a  few  occasions,  but  one  or 
two,  he  seemed  to  realize  the  value  of  the  soul,  and 
talked  earnestly  and  tenderly,  as  did  the  Master  to 
a  few  disciples,  or  to  the  woman  at  the  well.  He 
did  not  seem  to  have  the  wish,  even  if  he  had  the 
power,  to  make  fine  speeches ;  he  spoke  more  for 
effect,  to  tell  the  sick  of  a  cure,  to  point  out  the 
way  to  the  lost. 

One  or  two  carefully-prepared  sermons  per  week 
did  not  come  up  to  his  ideal ;  the  souls  of  men  were 
always  in  danger;  to  save  them  he  felt  that  he  must 
be  always  at  work.  A  discourse  for  every  day  in 
the  week  even  was  not  deemed  enough ;  three  per 
day  were  not  uncommon,  and  sometimes  four.  Be- 
sides this,  he  labored  much  from  house  to  house, 
doing  good  as  he  had  opportunity — when  oppor- 
tunity seemed  lacking  he  made  one.  His  powers 
were  so  varied  that  during  the  progress  of  a  meeting 
he  reached  the  case  of  all  the  classes  who  came  to 
hear  him.  One  of  our  most  eminent  preachers  in 
the  South,  Elder  Caskey,  a  fine  judge  of  human 
nature,  and  who  met  Shaw  when  in  the  height  of 
his  usefulness  and  made  him  his  study,  observed 
this  peculiarity  to  which  we  have  called  attention, 
and  to  it  attributed  much  of  his  success. 

He  says:  "He  had  his  peculiar  style  of  saying 
things  and  doing  things ;  he  conformed  to  no  stand- 
ard, either  of  oratory  or  action;  as  a  logician  ht 


36 


LIFE  OF 


was  not  profound ;  as  a  word-painter  I  have  heard 
him  excelled ;  as  for  pathos,  I  have  heard  others  who 
were  his  superiors  in  that  respect.  I  am  under  the 
impression  that  his  power  was  owing  to  a  combi- 
nation of  these  three  elements,  that,  singly  or  com- 
bined, make  up  the  greatness  of  all  eminent  speakers. 
This  combination  he  possessed  in  a  greater  degree 
than  any  speaker  I  have  ever  heard.  The  reason, 
perhaps,  why  he  excelled  in  neither  was  the  absence, 
to  some  extent,  of  wliat  phrenological  science  calls 
continuity  of  thought.  When  he  played  the  logician, 
which  he  could  do,  it  was  sharp,  cogent,  incisive, 
but  always  short,  never  exhaustive.  He  seemed  not 
to  have  the  power  to  drive  his  mental  machinery 
along  the  track  for  any  considerable  length  of  time, 
or  chose  not  to  do  it ;  his  transitions  from  logic  to 
rhetoric,  from  reasoning  to  description,  from  the 
serious  to  the  humorous,  from  tragedy  to  comedy, 
were  sudden  and  frequent ;  consequently  there  was 
often  a  mingling  of  smiles  and  tears  among  the 
impressible  of  those  who  heard  him.  Versatility 
was  a  leading  element  of  his  nature.  As  a  musician 
he  had  few  equals ;  his  power  of  imitation  was  won- 
derful ;  he  could  imitate  the  joyous,  strong-faithed 
Christian,  by  gestures,  looks  and  words,  until  you 
could  almost  see  the  sparkle  of  his  eye,  the  flush  on 
his  face,  the  happy  smile  on  his  lips,  and  hear  his 
glad  shout  ringing  in  your  ear;  then  suddenly  he 
would  put  on  a  long  face,  the  woe-begone  look,  the 
drooping  form,  and  heave  the  burdened  sigh  of  some 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


37 


poor,  doubting,  halting,  and  fearing,  John  Bunyan- 
made-Christian,  on  his  way  to  the  Castle  of  Giant 
Despair." 

This  versatility,  so  well  sketched  above,  was  char- 
acteristic of  him  in  the  beginning  of  his  evangelical 
labors,  as  well  as  at  the  period  when  the  above  pic- 
ture was  drawn — not  under  as  perfect  control,  per- 
haps, at  first,  as  in  after  years,  but,  nevertheless,  the 
great  and  marked  peculiarity  of  the  man.  With  this 
key  to  his  character  we  can  understand  fully  why  it 
was  that  success  and  usefulness  were  attained  so 
early.  What  others  reached,  in  even  a  small  degree, 
after  years  of  study  and  patient  toil,  he  reached  in 
a  high  degree  without  their  advantages,  in  a  much 
briefer  period.  In  i860  his  work  was  only  fairly 
begun,  but  in  the  ten  years  following  he  held  more 
successful  meetings  than  any  man  in  our  ranks. 
Within  four  or  five  years  from  the  beginning  of  his 
public  labors  he  attracted  much  attention,  and  met 
with  great  success;  and  at  that  early  day,  when  only 
about  thirty  years  of  age,  held  meetings  not  inferior 
in  interest  and  results  to  those  with  which  we  have 
become  so  familiar  in  the  later  years  of  his  life.  He 
was  a  growing,  a  successful  preacher  from  the  begin- 
ning; he  never  slackened  his  efforts,  but  worked 
while  it  was  called  to-day. 

Among  his  earlier  meetings,  one  held  at  Tipton, 
Indiana,  is  especially  worthy  of  note.  This  was  in 
May  and  June,  1864.  It  was  held  in  the  Court- 
house, and  was  attended  by  great  throngs  of  people. 


38 


LIFE  OF 


The  excitement  is  compared,  by  one  who  was  present, 
to  that  of  a  heated  political  campaign — the  people 
comincr  from  far  and  near,  and  resulting:  in  one  hun- 
dred  and  thirty-two  additions  to  the  church.  Among 
them  was  a  youth  only  thirteen  years  of  age — at  this 
writing  twenty-eight  years  of  age,  who  has  been 
preaching  the  gospel  for  years,  and  has  persuaded 
hundreds  to  turn  from  the  evil  of  their  ways.  In 
connection  with  Brother  Pritchard,  he  had  even  greater 
success  in  a  meeting  at  Jonesville,  Indiana,  in  1865. 
This  brings  us  to  the  most  active  period  of  his  life, 
his  work  fully  entered  upon,  his  purposes  formed  to 
spend,  and  be  spent,  in  the  work  to  which  he  was 
providentially  called.  The  future  chapters  will  con- 
tain the  progress  of  that  work,  which  was  one  of 
battles  which  were  victories. 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


39 


CHAPTER  IV. 


Remarkable  Meetings — Lebano?i,  Ohio —  Wellsbtirg,  West  Vir- 
ginia, and  Other  Places — Labors  in  1875-6. 

The  record  of  his  meetings,  and  the  matters  of 
interest  connected  with  them,  would  fill  a  volume, 
and,  while  it  would  be  impossible  to  give  all,  yet  it 
would  be  a  serious  defect  to  omit  a  notice  of  some 
of  his  most  successful  ones.  We  give  a  list  of  twenty 
of  them,  and  the  number  added  at  each. 

Additions. 


Lebanon,  Ohio,  ..,   252 

Buchanan,  Michigan,   226 

St.  Louis,  Missouri,.   150 

Harrison,  Ohio,   144 

Jonesville,  Indiana,   138 

Jeffersonville,  Indiana,   118 

Wellsburg,  West  Virginia,     120 

Dallas,  Texas,    112 

Charlestown,  Indiana,   112 

Covington,  Kentucky,   105 

Centerville,  Iowa,   103 

Quincy,  Illinois,   87 

Canton,  Missouri,   78 

Sterling,  Illinois,   79 

Clarksville,  Tennessee,     67 

Hamilton,  Ohio,  r   122 


40 


LIFE  OF 


Waynesville,  Ohio,  

Rushville,  Indiana,  

Little  Flat  Rock,  Indiana, 
Warsaw,  Indiana,  , 


AdditioriS. 

  6i 

  56 

  56 

....  50 


2,236 

It  must  be  remembered,  however,  that  these  are 
but  a  few  out  of  a  multitude.  Only  a  few  months 
before  his  death  he  stated  that  he  had  not  been  out 
of  a  protracted  meeting  for  two  weeks  in  succession 
for  thirteen  years.  With  regard  to  the  first  place  on 
the  foregoing  list,  he  wrote,  one  year  after  the  organ- 
ization of  the  church,  as  follows : 

'«THE  CHURCH  IN  LEBANON. 

"Lebanon,  Ohio,  February  1869. 
Brother  Errett : — This  day,  one  year  ago,  the  Church 
of  Christ  was  organized  here  with  fourteen  members. 

"The  meeting  had  commenced  January  8,  1868,  in 
Washington  Hall.  I  knew  of  but  two  brethren  and  their 
wives  here  before  coming  to  hold  the  meeting ;  found  a 
few  others  after  my  arrival.  Some  of  the  members  in  the 
organization  were  new  converts.  Many  were  the  proph- 
ecies of  failure  as  this  little  band  stood  up  and  gave  each 
other  the  hand  of  fellowship  and  Christian  love,  pledging 
to  each  other  their  unfaltering  friendship  and  love  in 
Christ,  to  stand  by  each  other  in  persecution,  trial,  or  pros- 
perity, as  it  might  best  please  our  kind  heavenly  Father. 

"The  tear-dimmed  eyes  of  that  little  company  spoke 
eloquently  to  the  crowd  assembled,  mainly  from  curiosity, 
of  their  sincerity  and  devotion  to  the  cause  of  truth. 

"The  question,  'Does  the  church  still  live?'  is  one 
often  asked.    I  will  briefly  answer. 

"Yes,  thank  God,  it  lives;  and  not  only  Hves,  but  pros- 
pers. 'Tis  pleasant  to  look  back  over  the  year  past  and 
see  the  steps  by  which  this  advance  has  been  made. 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


41 


''We  have  gained  every  inch  of  ground  by  the  severest 
contests.  We  can  adopt  the  language  of  the  old  hymn : 
'We  have  fought  our  way  through.'  We  hope  to  be  able 
to  adopt  the  rest  after  awhile.  The  aggregate  number  of 
members  enlisted  during  the  year  is  nearly  two  hundred 
and  ninety.  Of  these  twelve  have  been  withdrawn  from, 
two  or  three  of  whom  have  returned ;  some  have  removed 
to  other  parts,  taking  letters;  some  have  passed  through  the 
gate  of  death,  leaving  behind  the  sweet  assurance  of  the 
all-sufficiency  of  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to 
cheer  them  in  the  valley  of  death's  shadow ;  leaving  us 
yet  over  two  hundred  and  fifty  struggling  for  the  victory. 
The  Lord's  Day  school,  organized  soon  after  the  church 
was  set  up,  has  also  prospered,  averaging  three  hundred 
or  more  in  attendance. 

"There  has  never  been  a  Lord's  Day,  since  the  com- 
mencement of  the  church  here,  but  the  Disciples  have 
come  together  to  break  bread — not  a  week  has  passed 
without  at  least  two  prayer-meetings  from  house  to  house. 

"We  occupy  the  Hall  yet,  but  hope  to  get  a  meeting- 
house of  our  own  during  this  year.  The  Hall  we  use  .vill 
accommodate  six  hundred  persons  comfortably,  and  is 
filled  every  Lord's  Day.  We  are  contributing  every  Lord's 
Day  as  we  are  prospered,  and  feel  confident  of  success. 
The  church  is  poor  in  purse,  but  rich  in  spirit,  and  doing 
nobly.  May  the  Lord  bless  this  noble  band,  and  make  us 
all  a  blessing.  To  God  be  all  the  praise  for  all  these 
things  he  has  done  for  us.  Knowles  Shaw." 

During  his  meeting  at  Wellsburg,  West  Virginia, 
which  began  in  December,  1869,  he  was  called  home 
by  the  sad  tidings  of  the  serious  illness  of  his  eldest 
daughter,  then  about  thirteen  years  of  age.  Of  this 
meeting  W.  K.  Pendleton,  then  editor  of  the  Mil- 
lennial Harbinger^  wrote  as  follows : 

"We  have  just  had  the  pleasure  of  spending  part  of 


42 


LIFE  OF 


a  day  with  our  earnest  and  devoted  brother,  Knowles 
Shaw,  of  Rushville,  Indiana.  He  is  holding  a  protracted 
meeting  for  our  neighbors  at  Wellsburg.  It  has  been  two 
weeks  in  progress,  and  up  to  the  present  time  over  one 
hundred  have  been  added  to  the  church,  most  of  them 
by  baptism.  He  began  the  meeting  in  December,  but 
was  summoned  home  by  the  illness  of  a  beloved  daugh- 
ter, a  noble  and  lovely  Christian  girl,  whom  it  pleased  the 
Father  soon  to  take  home  to  himself.  We  have  never  been 
more  strongly  impressed  with  the  power  of  the  Christian's 
faith  to  lighten  these  heavy  crosses  than  when  hearing 
Brother  Shaw  speak  of  his  bereavement.  There  is  infin- 
itely more  than  resignation;  the  door  of  the  heavenly 
mansion  seems  opened  to  his  view,  and  the  radiance  from 
within  spans  even  the  dark  river. 

"Returning  to  Wellsburg,  he  has  been  preaching  every 
evening  to  crowded  houses,  and  with  continually  increas- 
ing interest  on  the  part  of  his  hearers.  A  prominent 
feature  in  the  character  of  Brother  Shaw  is  earnestness,  and 
God  is  blessing  it  as  he  ever  delights  to  do.  He  is  a 
man  of  his  own  sort,  and  works  in  a  way  all  his  own.  His 
heart  is  full  of  the  love  of  souls,  faith  in  the  gospel,  and 
a  sense  of  dependence  upon  the  divine  blessing  for  suc- 
cess; and  in  this  spirit  he  works,  day  and  night  from 
house  to  house,  on  the  streets,  in  the  offices  of  business, 
and  in  all  places  where  men  do  congregate.  His  success 
is  a  fine  illustration  of  the  power  of  love  to  win  the  preju- 
diced and  to  unite  the  divided.  All  classes  and  denom- 
inations throng  to  hear  Brother  Shaw.  They  feel  that  he 
loves  them  and  the  truth,  and  will  sacrifice  anything  law- 
ful to  save  them.  We  hope  to  have  still  further  triumphs 
of  the  truth  to  record  before  this  meeting  is  closed." 

In  the  same  year  he  held  a  meeting  in  Louisville, 
Kentucky,  during  which  sixty  were  added ;  and 
immediately  after  that  another  in  New  Albany,  Indi- 
ana, with  twenty-six  additions.  In  1 871  he  was  at 
Bellaire,  Ohio,  and  twenty-nine  were  added  as  the 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


43 


result  of  his  labors.  And  in  the  same  year  at  East 
Cleveland,  it  is  thus  reported : 

''Our  meeting  of  three  weeks  continuance  has  just 
closed,  with  thirty  accessions,  all  by  baptism.  The  cir- 
cumstances were  most  unfavorable  for  a  hearing.  The 
streets  were  blockaded  by  public  improvements,  the  spring 
forward,  and  everybody  busy.  Notwithstanding,  the  hear- 
ing was  large  and  attentive,  the  audience  and  the  interest 
increasing  till  the  close.  Brother  Knowles  Shaw  did  the 
preaching,  and,  by  the  power  of  his  clearness  and  earnest- 
ness, proved  fully  adequate  for  the  occasion  and  the  cir- 
cumstances. Not  merely  has  he  reaped  from  seed  sown 
by  our  present  pastor,  the  earnest  J.  B.  Johnson,  and 
other  faithful  laborers  before  him,  but  he  has  sown  seed 
in  other  hearts,  to  bring  forth  fruit,  we  trust,  to  eternal 
life.  Well  and  faithfully  he  labored,  and  God  has  given 
a  blessed  increase.  R.  R.  Sloan." 

Soon  after  this  he  removed  to  Neosho  County,  Kan- 
sas, and  did  much  for  the  advancement  of  the  cause 
of  Christ  all  through  that  region,  holding  meetings, 
gathering  together  the  scattered  Disciples,  and  giving 
an  impulse  to  the  cause  that  was  not  soon  forgotten. 
While  residing  in  Kansas  he  made  frequent  visits 
to  different  States ;  in  every  instance  holding  meet- 
ings With  marked  success.  Among  other  places  he 
preached  at  Galesburg,  Illinois,  and  also  in  Peoria, 
using  the  Eureka  tent  for  his  meetings. 

Another  meeting  in  Missouri  is  thus  noticed : 

"Clinton,  Missouri, /z^;?^  6,  1872. 
"On  Lord's  Day,  May  12th,  we  commenced  a  pro- 
tracted meeting  in  Clinton.    Brother  Knowles  Shaw,  famed 
for  his  great  success  in  such  meetings,  was  with  us.  He 
attended  Sunday-school  in  the  morning,  and  sang  several 


44 


LIFE  OF 


of  the  fine  pieces  in  his  new  book,  'Sparkling  Jewels.' 
Then,  just  before  preaching,  he  sang  another  piece  or  two, 
and,  after  service,  appointed  a  meeting  for  3^  P.  M.  for 
rehearsal.  Nearly  all  the  young  people  of  the  town  came, 
and  they  had  a  grand  time,  such  as  Clinton  had  never 
seen.  At  night  he  had  singing  for  half  an  hour ;  then  he 
read  and  commented  for  perhaps  fifteen  minutes  on  a 
passage  of  Scripture,  and,  after  prayer,  preached  over  an 
hour.  The  attendance  was  large  and  the  attention  pro- 
found. Such  was  his  course  throughout  the  meeting,  day 
and  night — half  an  hour's  rehearsal,  then  reading  and 
comment  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  then  the  prayer  and 
the  discourse.  Our  audiences  continued  to  increase  until 
our  house  was  filled  to  overflowing.  Never  had  the  like 
been  seen  in  Clinton,  and  the  people  wondered  that  a  man 
could  talk  and  sing,  and  preach  and  work  almost  inces- 
santly, day  after  day,  and  keep  fresh  and  ready,  and  never 
seem  tired.  Our  meeting  lasted  just  three  weeks,  and 
closed  with  fifty-one  additions  to  the  congregation.  This, 
considering  all  the  circumstances,  is  the  grandest  success 
I  have  ever  known. 

"The  work  done  by  Brother  Shaw  is  of  incalculable 
value.  He  managed  by  his  good  singing  and  good  preach- 
ing to  get  -the  people  to  come.  When  they  came  once  the 
most  of  them  could  not  be  kept  away.  We  got  what  we 
have  never  had  before  in  Clinton— a  good  hearing — and 
the  people  could  see  and  appreciate  the  difference  between 
what  we  really  preach  and  what  the  clergy  say  we  preach. 
Many  who  had  been  sprinkled  in  infancy,  and  others  who 
had  been  persuaded  to  receive  it  for  Christian  baptism, 
had  their  sandy  foundation  taken  away,  and  can  never  rest 
secure  until  they  are  buried  with  their  Lord  in  baptism. 

*'J.  A.  Meng." 

The  next  year  we  find  him  employed,  as  follows, 
in  Iowa : 

*'De  Soto,  January  13. 
Brother  Knowles  Shaw  has  just  closed  a  series  of  inter- 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


45 


esting  meetings  in  this  place.  He  delivered  fifty-eight  dis- 
courses, preaching  generally  twice  each  day.  Fifty-five 
accessions  were  made  to  this  congregation  during  this' 
series  of  meetings.  We  have  had  a  very  interesting  and 
happy  meeting.  The  most  earnest  prayers  and  best  wishes 
of  this  entire  congregation  go  with  our  dear  brother  in 
Christ,  who  starts  for  his  home  in  Kansas  to-day.  This 
congregation  was  organized  a  little  more  than  two  years 
ago.  Since  that  time  it  has  been  strengthened  by  the 
addition  of  about  one  hundred  and  eighty  members. 

♦'Wm.  M.  Roe." 

The  following  are  a  few  of  many  meetings  in 
1874: 

"KANSAS. 

''Knowles  Shaw  writes  from  Atchison,  under  date  of 
May  15th:  *I  have  been  here  four  days,  and  a  glorious 
meeting  is  already  developed.  Ten  added.  Hall  crowded, 
and  more  expected.'  " 

"ILLINOIS. 

**Knowles  Shaw's  meeting  at  Golconda  continued  just 
two  weeks,  and  resulted  in  thirty-two  additions — four 
restored,  eight  from  the  denominations,  and  the  remainder 
by  confession  and  baptism." 

"KENTUCKY. 

**Nine  persons  have  recently  been  added  to  the  con- 
gregation at  Paducah.  Knowles  Shaw  stopped  at  this 
point  on  his  way  from  Golconda,  Illinois,  and  remained 
five  days,  preaching  to  very  large  congregations." 

"INDIANA. 

**At  last  accounts  Knowles  Shaw  was  engaged  in  a  pro- 
tracted meeting  at  Bethlehem  Chapel,  a  mission  point,  we 
believe,  in  Indianapolis.  He  was  preaching  to  crowded 
houses,  and  twenty-eight  had  been  added  up  to  August 
28th." 


46 


LIFE  OF 


L.  D.  Waldo,  Rockford,  writes,  October  28 : 

"Knowles  Shaw  came  to  Rockford  September  25,  and 
preached  and  sung,  and  prayed  and  worked,  as  he  only, 
of  all  the  men  I  ever  saw,  can  work,  for  four  weeks. 
Thirty-two  additions  were  made  to  the  church;  new  zeal 
awakened  in  the  old  members;  much  prejudice  removed 
from  the  minds  of  our  religious  neighbors,  and  seed  sown 
that  we  hope  will  bring  forth  fruit  to  the  glory  of  God. 
We  thank  God  and  take  courage." 

' '  Knowles  Shaw  closed  a  meeting  at  Evansville,  Decem- 
ber 14,  with  fifteen  additions  to  the  church." 

In  1875  he  returned  to  Indiana,  making  his  home 
at  Rushville ;  but,  as  ever,  his  labors  were  spread 
over  a  wide  field,  as  we  shall  learn  from  what  we 
give  below.  The  Paducah  Daily  Ti?nes  gives  the 
following : 

"The  meeting  that  commenced  at  the  Christian  Church 
in  this  city,  in  'the  latter  part  of  last  week,  is  still  progress- 
ing. The  handsome  church  edifice  of  the  Christian  breth- 
ren, on  Oak  Street,  is  nightly  crowded  with  attentive 
congregations.  A  deep  interest  seems  apparent  on  the 
part  of  both  men  and  women,  who  mingle  their  voices  in 
songs  of  praise  and  thanksgiving  for  the  blessings  which 
the  God  of  love  has  bestowed  upon  the  children  of  men. 
The  hundreds  that  flock  to  the  Christian  Church,  every 
moaning  and  evening,  to  listen  to  the  wonderful  singing 
and  preaching  of  the  great  revivalist.  Elder  Shaw,  are 
unaware  of  the  time  passed  in  public  worship,  and  return 
to  their  homes  filled  with  the  idea  that  if  Elder  Shaw  is 
not  a  very  great  man  he  is  certainly  a  very  earnest  and 
good  man;  that  if  he  is  not  an  accomplished  scholar  and 
an  orator,  according  to  certain  fixed  rules  of  the  university 
and  the  forum,  he  is  eloquent  and  enthusiastic  after  his 
own  style ;  a  natural  orator,  full  of  sentiment,  and  prompted 
in  his  labors  for  the  good  of  mankind  by  what  he  believes 
to  be  'the  truth,  the  whole  truth,  and  nothing  but  the 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


47 


truth.'  Honest  in  liis  opinions,  liberal  in  his  feelings,  of 
ardent  temperament,  and  of  manners  entirely  different 
from  any  and  every  body  else  in  the  world,  Elder  Shaw- 
impresses  himself  upon  his  audience  with  peculiar  strength 
and  force.  Filled  with  the  spirit  of  his  sublime  calling, 
with  heart  overflowing  with  love  and  kindness  for  his 
fellow-man,  it  is  jio  wonder  that  his  presence  in  our  midst 
is  deemed  a  source  of  so  much  delight  to  our  fellow- 
citizens  of  every  denomination. 

>i«  >ij  Jl<  j}i  i|c 

"There  was  an  immense  audience  at  the  Christian 
Church,  on  Oak  Street,  last  night,  to  listen  to  the  splendid 
fiinging  and  eloquent  preaching  of  the  'Singing  Evangel- 
ist,' Knowles  Shaw.  Every  available  seat  v/as  occupied; 
the  altar,  and  even  the  pulpit,  crowded  with  a  delighted 
assemblage  of  our  citizens,  both  young  and  old.  Mr. 
Shaw  has  produced  a  decided  sensation  in  this  community. 
Never,  in  the  history  of  the  Christian  Church  of  this  city, 
has  the  interest  been  surpassed  to  listen  to  the  music  of 
the  hymns  of  Sankey  and  Bliss,  and  other  productions  of 
the  sacred  muses.  Mr.  Shaw  is  an  orator  entirely  like 
himself,  and  unlike  any  one  else  that  we  have  ever  heard 
of.  He  is  stii  generis  in  every  undeniable  respect ;  he  is 
emphatically  Knowles  Shaw,  and  no  one  else.  Some 
portions  of  his  sermon,  last  evening,  would  have  done 
honor  to  the  head  and  heart  of  the  great  Spurgeon  or 
Bascom,  or  to  Bishop  Elliott.  Crowds  nightly  flock  to 
the  Christian  Church  to  listen  to  our  distinguished  visitor, 
whose  powers  of  song  and  speech  seem  inexhaustible. 
Many  who  go  to  scoff,  remain  to  pray.  We  predict  that 
great  good  must  follow  the  efforts  of  Mr.  Shaw  to  advance 
the  cause  of  his  Master  among  men. 

"By  7  o'clock  last  night  the  church  was  packed,  and 
great  numbers  were  compelled  to  go  away,  not  being  able 
to  get  in.  We  have  never  seen  a  deeper  solemnity  nor 
better  behavior  in  a  house  so  crowded.  The  first  thirty 
minutes  was  spent  in  singing,  and  in  some  of  the  songs  it 
seemed  as  if  every  one  in  the  house  was  singing.    A  great 


48 


LIFE  OF 


number  asked  Mr.  Shaw  to  sing  'Drifting  Away,'  which 
he  did,  after  making  a  few  heart-touching  remarks  about 
interference.  Mr.  Shaw  then  sang,  by  request,  *  The  half 
has  never  been  told.'  The  sermon,  last  night,  was  short, 
but  we  heard  many  say  that  it  was  the  best  sermon  Mr. 
Shaw  has  preached.  Numbers  stood  up  without  moving 
during  the  entire  sermon.  From  the  number  of  verses  read 
and  quoted  from  the  Bible,  it  could  be  truly  said  that  the 
luord  was  preached.  At  the  close  of  ^iie  sermon  Mr.  Shaw 
made  one  of  his  strongest  appeals  to  the  unconverted.  The 
congregation  then  sang,  'Free  from  the  law.'  Seven  or 
eight  persons  went  forward  to  unite  with  the  church,  and 
a  number  of  others  were  deeply  interested.  Baptism  will 
be  attended  to  to-night  at  the  close  of  the  meeting. 

*'We  are  told  that  the  morning  meetings  are  largely 
attended.  Mr.  Shaw's  morning  talks  are  short  and  pointed, 
and  addressed  especially  to  Christians.  There  are  no  use- 
less speculations  in  Mr.  Shaw's  preaching,  no  new  theory; 
it  is  the  'Old,  old  story,'  told  by  one  who  believes  it  and 
loves  to  tell  it." 

He  reports  from  other  points  as  follows  : 

*'I  closed  a  good  meeting  in  Ohio,  Bureau  County, 
Illinois,  after  two  Lord's  Days'  continuance,  with  sixty- 
eight  additions — sixty  of  these  by  confession  and  baptism. 
This  was  a  grand  triumph  for  truth.  Brother  A.  Ross 
preaches  for  them,  and  will  help  the  new  members  along. 
Commenced  here  in  Sterling  our  tent-meeting  Friday  last, 
and  though  at  first  but  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  came 
out,  we  now  have  the  tent  filled.  Lord's  Day  and  last 
night  there  were  two  thousand  or  more.  Pray  for  us. 
Will  remain  here  three  weeks  or  more." 

"I  have  just  returned  from  a  short  visit  to  the  church 
in  Manilla,  Rush  County,  where  I  spent  eight  days,  preach- 
ing twice  each  day.  The  immediate  result  was  nineteen 
baptisms,  and  a  general  stirring  up  of  the  community. 
This  church  used  to  meet  at  Mud  Creek,  and  there  I 
obeyed  the  gospel  twenty-two  years  ago.  It  is  a  joy  to  meet 
old  friends,  but  sad  that  so  many  are  gone." 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


49 


F.  M.  Kirkham,  Centreville,  Iowa,  writes : 

*'The  church  in  this  place  has  just  closed  a  meeting  of 
twenty-five  days'  continuance,  rich  in  results — there  having 
been  added  one  hundred'  and  three. 

''Everything  was  ripe  for  a  glorious  meeting.  The 
church  having  occupied,  only  a  few  weeks  before  the 
meeting  commenced,  for  the  first  time,  their  beautiful  and 
commodious  new  chapel,  for  the  erection  of  which  the  ( 
brethren  and  friends  had  contributed  freely  and  nobly  of  \ 
their  means,  thereby  enlisting  their  sympathies  in  spiritual  - 
things,  were  thus  to  some  extent  ready  to  hear  all  things 
commanded  by  God. 

' '  Brother  Knowles  Shaw  did  the  preaching,  delivering, 
in  all,  fifty-one  discourses,  doctrinal  and  practical,  in  his 
peculiarly  clear,  earnest  and  eloquent  manner,  and  awaken- 
ing a  religious  interest  in  this  community  such  as  we 
have  never  had  before.  His  day  discourses  were  directed 
mainly  to  the  brethren,  and  have  done  much  to  build 
them  up  in  the  faith,  hope  and  love  of  the  gospel,  and  to  - 
strengthen  and  confirm  the  previous  labors  of  the  pastor 
of  the  church, 

"This  has  been  a  meeting  of  peculiar  interest  and 
power,  not  only  in  its  results  here,  but  throughout  this 
region — many  brethren  from  different  parts  of  the  country, 
and  even  adjoining  counties,  lending  their  presence,  and 
contributing  otherwise  to  its  success,  and  carrying  home 
with  them  its  leavening  influences." 

Other  reports: 

"INDIANA. 

"Knowles  Shaw  remained  at  Greencastle  three  weeks, 
during  which  time  thirty-four  persons  were  added  to  the 
church.  The  meeting  was  continued  by  Brother  Laugh- 
lin,  but  we  have  not  yet  learned  the  result.  From  Green- 
castle Brother  Shaw  went  to  Terre  Haute." 

"Knowles  Shaw  recently  held  a  few  days'  meeting  at 
Clarksburg,  during  which  eight  persons  were  baptized  and 
the  church  much  encouraged." 

4 


50 


LIFE  OF 


The  aggregate  of  additions  was  four  hundred  and 
sixteen ;  the  number  of  which  was  greatly  increased 
during  the  year  by  his  Labors  at  other  points.  Al- 
though without  a  full  report  of  his  work  and  its 
results,  we  have  fuller  reports  of  the  year  1876  than 
of  any  preceding  it.  A  partial  report  is  given,  below, 
much  of  it  in  the  words  of  the  laborer  himself : 

''Chicago,  iLhmois,  /am^ary  17. 
have  just  returned  from  Buchanan,  Michigan,  where 
I  spent  three  weeks  by  special  permission  of  the  congre- 
gation here,  for  which  I  am  laboring.  There  were  two  hun- 
dred and  twenty-six  added  in  all  — two  hundred  and  twelve 
by  confession  and  baptism.  On  New  Year's  Day  there 
were  thirty-six,  and  on  the  first  Lord's  Day  in  the  new  year 
twenty-five  additions.  This,  for  the  time  engaged,  is  the 
crowning  work  of  my  life.  The  house  used  was  the  Advent 
Church,  because  larger  and  more  central.  Indeed,  the 
work  was  a  union  effort,  by  the  Advents  and  our  church. 
A  permanent  union  of  the  churches  is  anticipated.  A 
committee  of  eight  from  each  church  have  already  agreed 
on  the  basis  of  union,  and  our  congregation  adopted  it 
immediately,  but  there  were  thirteen  of  the  Advent  Church 
opposed,  and  they  adjourned  to  hold  another  meeting  to 
further  consider  the  matter.  The  basis  is  our  old  plea: 
Christ  the  foundation;  faith,  repentance,  confession  and 
baptism  the  way  to  get  on  the  foundation,  and  Christian 
character  the  test  of  fellov\-ship,  allowing  all  to  enjoy  their 
opinions.  The  name  agreed  upon  for  the  church  is, 
'Church  of  Christ.'  The  cause  in  Buchanan  is  now  in 
a  most  prosperous  condition. 

"I  commenced  a  work  here,  yesterday,  to  continue  for 
some  days,  as  circumstances  may  require.  We  are  pro- 
gressing here  in  every  way  slowly;  some  accessions  nearly 
every  meeting  by  letter,  and  several  baptisms  since  I  came. 
The  work  on  West  Side  is  doing  well.  I  preach  there 
every  Sunday  at  3  P.  M.   Their  Sunday-school  attendance 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


51 


is  good — one  hundred  and  sixty-three  yesterday.  Our 
Sunday  school  numbered  one  hundred  and  fifty-six. 

"  Knowles  Shaw.'' 

A  month  later  he  writes  from  Chicago  : 

"Our  work  goes  on  gloriously  here  -  fifty  additions  to 
date,  and  more  are  expected.  House  filled,  and  five 
added  last  night.  Pray  for  us.  The  gospel  triumphs  over 
all  error.    We  will  continue  another  week." 

Soon  after  we  find  the  following : 

*'I  recently  spent  a  little  over  three  weeks  in  Rush 
County,  Indiana,  my  old  home,  where  I  preached,  while 
resting,  thirty-two  discourses,  and  had  forty-four  addi- 
tions—thirty of  these  at  Ben  Davis  Creek  and  fourteen  at 
Little  Flat  Rock.  First  meeting,  ten  days;  the  other,  four 
days.    So  I  rested  during  my  vacation  from  city  work. 

''Knowles  Shaw." 

"Chicago,  Illinois,  September  2^,  1876. 
"I  closed  a  two-weeks'  meeting  on  the  2 2d,  at  New- 
Bedford,  McDonough  County,  Illinois,  with  twenty-five 
additions,  besides  raising  money  to  pay  off  all  liabilities 
incurred  in  the  erection  of  their  new  and  beautiful  house 
of  worship  just  finished.  Knowles  Shaw." 

In  October  he  began  a  meeting  in  Covington, 
Kentucky.  One  of  the  city  papers  mentioned  it  as 
below : 

"The  meetings  conducted  by  Elder  Knowles  Shaw,  at 
Fifth  Street  Christian  Church,  in  this  city,  have  passed 
through  four  weeks,  with  ninety-six  additions.  The  audi- 
ence last  night  was  larger  than  on  any  previous  occasion; 
all  the  seats  were  closely  packed.  The  aisles,  and  all  the 
vacant  spaces  around  the  pulpit  and  in  the  gallery,  were 
filled  with  hearers,  and  the  hall-way  outside  the  main 
audience-room  was  crowded  with  people  who  could  hear, 
but  could  not  see  the  preacher. 


52 


LIFE  OF 


"This  great  audience  paid  the  most  profound  attention, 
and  the  speaker  well  repaid  them  in  one  of  his  most  brill- 
iant and  heart-searching  discourses.  The  labors  seem  to 
g.ive  him  new  powers.  He  exhibits  no  signs  of  weariness 
or  weakness,  but  preaches  and  sings  as  though  he  were 
just  entering  upon  a  new  meeting." 

The  pastor  of  the  church  writes  as  follows : 

"Covington,  Noveinber  \o. 
"Brother  Shaw  took  leave  of  us  on  Wednesday  even- 
ing last,  carrying  with  him  the  good  wishes  of  all  There 
Avere  additions  at  the  last  meeting,  and  I  believe  there 
were  many  more  ' almost  persuaded.'  He  removed  some 
prejudice,  sowed  a  large  quantity  of  very  good  seed,  and, 
in  addition,  reaped  a  harvest  of  over  one  hundred  souls; 
thus  making  our  church  record  larger  than  it  ever  has 
been.  The  audiences  were  large  throughout,  sometimes 
immense,  and  the  best  of  order  prevailed.  Brother  Shaw 
sings  well,  and  the  work  moved  on.  He  is  a  good  pro- 
tracted meeting  preacher,  not  easily  discouraged,  and 
physical  strength  equal  to  any  emergency.  He  preached 
and  sung  for  us  nearly  five  weeks,  and  his  voice — ahvays 
loud  and  strong — was  as  clear  at  the  close  as  at  the  begin- 
ning. He  is  willing  to  do  all  the  w^ork  if  necessary,  and, 
like  Alexander  the  Great,  grieves  that  there  are  not  mo;?e 
worlds  to  conquer.  He  is  all  zeal  and  activity,  and  e>^ts 
unsparingly  his  great  energies  to  get  people  into  the 
church.  He  refers,  with  apparent  pride,  to  tiie  multitudes 
that  have  joined  under  his  preaching.  He  is  never  still, 
in  the  meeting-house  or  out  of  it;  talks  constantly  about 
the  meeting  and  the  work  he  is  doing;  often  alludes  in 
his  sermons  to  things  which  have  transpired  in  his  own 
experience,  and  sometimes  with  magical  effect.  He  speaks 
with  great  boldness  and  plainness;  he  uses  a -broad-ax 
rather  than  a  smoothing-plane ;  his  sword  is  two-edged, 
and  cuts  down  everything  before  it.  Popular  Vices  receive 
no  countenance  at  his  hands.  Sectarianism  and  error  in 
every  form  receive  his  unqualified  denunciation.  He 
preaches  the  old  Jerusalem,  Pentecostal  gospel  faithfully. 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


53 


and  tells  sinners  with  great  emphasis  what  they  must  do 
to  be  saved.  He  exhorts  Pedobaptists  and  Affusionists  to 
obey  the  gospel,  assuring  them  that  their  baptism  is  noth- 
ing. I  have  heard  none  of  our  preachers  that  planks 
matters  down  any  plainer  and  more  uncompromisingly 
than  Brother  Shaw.  I  had  my  fears  from  what  I  had 
heard  that  he  was  not  quite  sound  on  some  of  these  ques- 
tions, but  my  fears  were  soon  dissipated.  Brother  Frank- 
lin himself,  in  his  palmiest  days,  was  never  more  tenacious 
for  the  integrity  of  first  principles.  I  am  glad  to  be  able 
to  bear  this  testimony.  If  Brother  Shaw  belonged  to  that 
class  who  pretend  to  believe  the  Reformation  a  failure, 
and  who,  therefore,  preach  liberalism,  progression  away 
from  Jerusalem  and  the  New  Testament,  anything,  every- 
thing, and  nothing,  and  smooth  things  over  to  get  the 
good  will  of  the  sects,  he  might  do  us,  as  a  people, 
immense  harm.  But  he  satisfied  us  here  that  he  is  a  sound 
gospel  preacher.  If  he  preaches  everywhere  the  same 
way  he  preached  here,  he  will  pass  current  for  a  good 
'Campbellite,'  which,  being  interpreted,  means  one  who 
believes  and  practices  as  did  Christ  and  his  apostles. 

"We  feel  thankful  to  God  for  his  abundant  mercies, 
and  shall  endeavor,  by  his  grace,  to  make  ourselves  still 
more  worthy  of  his  love.  Our  additions  are  mostly  young 
people — some  few  middle-aged  and  heads  of  families  — 
and  all  of  an  excellent  and  promising  class.  The  prospect 
is  good  yet  for  more,  and  we  will  be  somewhat  disap- 
pointed if  others  do  not  come  soon.         P.  B.  Wiles." 

And  a  correspondent  of  the  Standard  says  : 

' '  Covington,  October  3 1 . 

**I  regret  that  you  have  not  been  able  to  attend  our 
meeting,  now  in  its  fourth  week,  to  hear  the  sermons  and 
songs,  and  see  Brother  Shaw's  methods,  so  that  you,  from 
actual  knowledge  and  observation,  could  have  made  a 
true,  full  and  faithful  report. 

"I  am  sure  that  Brother  Shaw  has  been  greatly  mis- 
understood, misrepresented  and  undervalued.  I  myself 
had  a  great  prejudice  against  him,  produced  by  repre- 


54 


sentations  that  his  majinerisms  were  objectionable,  his 
methods  frivolous,  and  his  preaching  chaffy,  and  the  effects 
produced  evanescent.  A  greater  injustice  could  not  be 
done  him  than  so  to  represent  him  and  his  work. 

"I  have  been  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church  nigh 
unto  forty  years;  I  have  heard  all  the  old  preachers — 
Campbells,  Scott,  Burnet,  Franklin,  Errett,  Johnson,  Moss, 
Creath,  Gano,  Smith,  Hopson,  McGarvey,  Lard,  and  a 
host  of  others,  and  now  I  find  Brother  Shaw  preaching 
the  same  gospel,  and,  by  his  zeal,  devotion,  logic,  pathos, 
and  fervent  love  for  Christ  and  his  cause,  moving,  by 
the  help  of  God,  multitudes  to  cry  out,  '  What  shall  we 
do  to  be  saved  He  is  peculiarly  adapted  to  the  work  of 
an  evangelist,  and  should  everywhere  receive  the  cordial 
co-operation  of  ail  Christian  workers. 

wish  he  could  remain  and  work  in  Kentucky  five 
years.  I  believe  he  would  warm  up,  and  make  alive 
again,  all  the  elements  in  all  our  churches,  and  push  for- 
ward the  grand  movement  fifty  years.     John  F.  Fisk." 

Brother  Shaw  speaks  thus  of  his  last  meeting  for 
the  year : 

"Jackson,  Tennessee,  December  i8. 
*'Our  work  at  South  Bend  closed  on  the  6th,  witii  thirty 
additions.  Truly,  for  so  short  a  work,  this  was  great  suc- 
cess, under  existing  circumstances.  The  time  only  little 
over  two  weeks.  Large  congregations  from  the  first. 
Compelled  to  get  the  Opera  House  after  the  first  week. 
There  are  true  and  noble  Christians  in  South  Bend.  A 
letter  from  there  gives  encouraging  news.  Prayer-meeting 
large,  prospects  good.  I  have  been  here  one  week — two 
added.  Will  remain  another  week.  I  go  next  to  Colum- 
bus, x^Iississippi,  by  the  28th,  and  to  Memphis  by  15th  of 
January.  Knowles  Shaw." 

The  aggregate  additions  from  the  above  reports 
are  five  hundred  and  thirty,  and,  as  stated,  the  reports 
by  no  means  include  all  the  results  of  the  year. 


KXOWLES  SHAW. 


55 


Imperfect  as  the  reports  are,  however,  few  men 
have  made  such  a  record  as  we  have  given  in  a 
single  year. 

During  this  year,  too,  he  was  pastor  of  the  church 
at  Chicago,  to  which  about  one  hundred  persons 
were  added.  He  preached,  while  in  the  city,  three 
times  every  Lord's  Day,  except  when  he  preached 
four  times,  and  in  two  cases  only  twice.  Although 
his  work  was  successful,  when  compared  with  that 
of  others,  he  felt  that  his  real  work  was  that  of  an 
evangelist,  and  he  accordingly  decided  to  make  that 
his  chief  work,  and  resigned  his  position  on  the  4th 
of  September.  The  impression  produced  by  read- 
ing such  a  record  as  the  above  is  more  like  that  pro- 
duced by  a  life,  than  a  single  year  of  earnest  and 
faithful  labor. 


LIFE  OF 


CHAPTER  V. 


His  Love  for  the  Lost — Blue  Dick — Labors  in  the  Murphy 
Movement — Singing  Lainhs  of  the  Upper  Fold^^  at  a 
Child's  Funeral. 

Brother  Shaw  was  an  enthusiast,  but  his  enthusi- 
asm was  the  farthest  possible  remove  from  fanaticism. 
It  had  its  origin  in  deep  and  earnest  convictions, 
which  found  an  outlet  in  ceaseless  effort  for  the  wel- 
fare of  humanity.  The  world  lying  in  wickedness 
was  not  a  mere  theory;  to  him  it  was  a  solemn,  an 
awful  fact.  He  realized  the  danger  of  his  fellow- 
men,  and  warned  them  of  their  peril,  and  strove  to 
snatch  them  as  brands  from  the  burning.  Every 
human  soul  was,  in  his  eyes,  a  gem  of  priceless 
worth — condition  and  circumstances  went  for  noth- 
ing— under  all  surroundings,  favorable  or  otherwise, 
he  saw  an  immortal  soul  to  be  saved  or  lost.  Where 
others  saw  only  a  helpless,  wretched,  hopeless  out- 
cast, he  saw  one  for  whom  Christ  died,  who,  under 
the  influence  of  the  gospel,  might  be  cleansed  from 
sin,  have  fruit  unto  holiness,  and  the  end  everlasting 
life.    He  remembered  that  the  Master  came  to  seek 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


57 


and  save  the  lost;  that  his  condescension  led  him  to 
seek  and  lift  up  the  lowly,  and  this  led  him  to  care 
for  the  souls  of  those  for  whom  none  else  on  earth 
seemed  to  care. 

Sometimes  his  brethren,  with  less  faith  in  God  and 
humanity  than  himself,  would  discourage  his  attempts 
to  reform  and  save  some  who  seemed  utterly  aban- 
doned and  vile;  but  such  opposition  only  added  to 
his  zeal,  and  made  him  increase  his  efforts  in  behalf 
of  those  whom  men  had  forsaken,  and  who  deemed 
themselves  forsaken  of  God. 

Among  those  who  called  forth  his  deep  sympathy 
was  one  who  is  still  living — changed  beyond  all  that 
was  at  one  time  thought  possible,  and  whom  we  trust 
will  be  one  of  the  brightest  stars  in  Brother  Shaw's 
crown  of  rejoicing.  He  was  holding  a  meeting  at 
some  point  on  the  Ohio  River,  where  it  was  necessary 
for  him  to  cross  frequently.  The  first  night  of  his 
meeting  he  went  down  to  the  river,  but  found  the 
only  ferryman  to  be  a  poor,  ragged,  besotted  wretch, 
no  hat  on  his  head,  his  hair  matted,  his  whole  person 
filthy  in  the  extreme,  and  giving  evidence  that  he 
was  even  then  under  the  influence  of  drink.  His 
appearance  was  so  forbidding,  and  his  condition  such 
that  he  was  doubtful  as  to  whether  it  would  be  safe 
to  intrust  himself  in  a  frail  skiff  with  such  a  ferry- 
man, and  had  there  been  any  other  and  safer  means 
of  getting  across  he  would  have  availed  himself  of  it. 
But  there  was  no  other  chance,  and  with  some  mis- 
givings as  to  the  result  he  entered  the  boat.  He 


t 

58  LIFE  OF 


soon  found  that,  though  under  the  influence  of  Hquor, 
he  knew  how  to  manage  his  skiff,  and  feehng  at  ease 
on  that  matter,  he  began  to  talk  with  him.  He  asked 
him  his  name. 

"Blue  Dick,"  was  the  reply. 

"But,"  said  Shaw,  "that  is  not  really  your  name." 

"Well,"  said  he,  "if  I  have  any  other,  it  has  been 
so  long  since  I  heard  it,  I  have  almost  forgotten  what 
it  is." 

Changing  the  subject  abruptly,  he  asked,  "Why 
don't  you  quit  drinking?" 

"I  can't,"  said  the  poor  wretch." 

"Yes,  you  can,"  replied  Shaw. 

Wondering  that  a  stranger  should  take  any  interest 
in  him,  he  said,  "Mister,  do  you  think  I  could?" 

"Of  course  you  can,"  said  Shaw,  in  a  kind  and 
assuring  manner. 

The  poor  fellow  sat  for  some  time  in  silence.  It 
was  long  since  any  word  of  sympathy,  interest  or 
encouragement  had  fallen  upon  his  ear,  and  the  kind 
words  of  the  stranger  reached  the  heart  which  all 
his  neighbors  thought  had  ceased  to  feel.  Deeply 
moved,  he  looked  up  and  said,  earnestly: 

"Mister,  do  you  really  think  I  could  quit  drinking?" 

"Have  you  a  wife  and  children?" 

In  a  voice  choked  with  emotion,  and  weeping 
bitterly,  he  said  that  he  had.  The  way  was  now 
open,  Shaw  told  him  he  was  a  preacher,  and  asked 
him  to  come  and  hear  him. 

"Why,"  said  he,  "you  would  not  let  such  a  one 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


59 


as  me  come ;  and  if  yoii  were  willing,  others  would 
not  like  to  see  me  there." 

Shaw  urged  him  to  come,  assured  him  that  he 
should  be  welcome ;  that  instead  of  being  out  of  the 
reach  of  mercy,  that  it  was  such  as  he  that  Jesus 
came  to  save.  Tenderly  and  earnestly  he  besought 
him  to  change  his  course,  until  the  poor  ferryman  be- 
gan to  think  that  there  might  be  hope  even  for  him. 
On  reaching  the  other  side,  Shaw  paid  him  his  fare, 
and,  as  he  did  so,  he  pointed  to  a  saloon  that  was  near, 
and  said,  do  not  like  the  idea  of  this  money 
going  to  such  a  place  as  that ;  can't  you  promise  me 
that  you  will  not  drink  any  to-night,  and  I  will  come 
back,  and  you  shall  take  me  over  the  river  again." 
Blue  Dick  gave  the  required  promise  and  they 
parted ;  the  preacher  going  to  the  house  of  God, 
and  the  ferryman,  with  emotions  such  as  had  not 
stirred  in  his  heart  for  years,  standing  in  deep 
thought  by  the  rapid  river  under  the  watching  stars. 
After  meeting,  Brother  Shaw  went  down  to  the  river, 
found  Blue  Dick  waiting  for  him,  showing  by  his 
manner  that  he  had  kept  his  promise  not  to  drink. 
He  gave  him  a  few  words  of  encouragement,  and 
obtained  his  promise  that  he  would  come  and  hear 
him  preach  the  following  night.  Great  was  the 
astonishment  of  many  to  see  Blue  Dick  at  church, 
and  greater  still  to  see  the  preacher,  who  had  seen 
him  come  in  and  drop  into  the  first  empty  seat  that 
he  found  near  the  door,  come  up  to  him,  take  him 
by  the  hand,  speak  a  few  kind  words  to  him,  and 


6o 


LIFE  OF 


ask  him  to  come  again.  Night  after  niglit  lie  came, 
and  the  warm  hand  of  the  prcaclicr  never  failed  to 
give  that  of  Blue  Dick  a  friendly  grasp,  and  the 
fitting  words  spoken  did  not  fail  to  strengthen  the 
new  purposes  that  were  beginning  to  take  shape  in 
his  mind.  The  coming  of  the  one,  and  the  marked 
attention  shown  him  by  the  preacher,  led  some  of 
the  brethren  to  fear,  yes  fear,  that  this  poor  outcast 
might  offer  himself  for  membership ;  and  they  even 
expressed  their  fears  to  Brother  Shaw,  and  predicted 
that  it  would  ruin  the  church  if  one  such  as  he 
should  attempt  to  enter  the  fold.  Brother  Shaw, 
however,  did  not  fail  to  show,  in  their  loveliest 
colors,  the  tenderness  and  compassion  of  Him  who 
came  to  give  hope  to  the  hopeless,  to  seek  and  to 
save  the  lost.  The  lost  sheep,  and  the  wayward, 
wretched,  ruined  prodigal  seemed  to  point  to  Blue 
Dick,  and  Blue  Dick  himself  began  to  think  they 
meant  him;  and  one  night,  when  the  preacher,  with 
even  more  than  his  wonted  earnestness,  urged  the 
despairing  and  lost  to  come  to  Christ  as  their  only 
hope,  Blue  Dick  rose  to  come  forward  and  accept 
the  gospel  offer.  The  preacher  went  half-way  down 
the  aisle  to  meet  him ;  angels  doubtless,  too,  at  that 
mom.ent  gave  expression  to  their  joy  in  glad  song, 
and  He  who  died  to  save  the  lost  was,  doubtless,  glad 
to  see  that  the  lost  was  found.  But,  alas!  while 
there  was  joy  in  heaven,  the  coming  of  poor  Blue 
Dick  to  confess  his  Lord,  to  strive  to  lead  a  better 
life,  did  not  send  a  thrill  of  joy  through  the  church; 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


6i 


some  there  were  who,  hke  the  elder  son  in  the  par- 
able, thought  that  the  returned  wanderer  would  never 
be  other  than  a  disgrace  to  the  family,  thought  that 
Blue  Dick  had  gone  too  far  to  retrace  his  steps,  and 
that  his  newly-formed  resolutions  would  be  broken 
on  the  very  first  invitation  to  take  a  drink,  and  that 
he  would  soon  sink  to  even  a  lower  depth,  if  pos- 
sible, than  before.  Such  was  the  feeling  of  oppo- 
sition with  regard  to  him  that  Brother  Shaw  did  not 
take  his  confession  and  baptize  him  for  several  days, 
feeling,  doubtless,  that  until  he  could  change  their 
views  on  the  subject,  that  their  coolness  would  repel 
and  discourage,  rather  than  help  and  save.  Before 
the  meeting  closed,  to  the  wonder  of  the  whole  com- 
munity. Blue  Dick  made  a  public  confession  of  his 
faith  in  Christ,  was  baptized,  and  by  his  consistent 
life  soon  disarmed  whatever  of  objection  remained, 
and  was  regarded  as  a  standing  proof  of  the  power 
of  the  gospel. 

Years  passed  by;  the  faithful  evangelist  revisited 
the  same  place.  Blue  Dick  was  no  longer  there;  he 
was  transformed  into  Brother  George  M.,  one  of  the 
best  members  of  the  church ;  he  was  living  in  a  com- 
fortable home,  surrounded  by  a  loving  and  happy 
family,  with  every  mark  of  neatness  and  thrift  about 
them.  As  soon  as  Brother  Shaw  had  entered  this 
happy  Christian  home  he  who  had  been  Blue  Dick 
said :  "  Brother  Shaw,  kneel  down  and  thank  God  for 
what  he  has  done  for  me,  that  I,  who  when  you  met 
me  was  a  poor,  miserable,  drunken  sinner,  have  been 


62 


LIFE  OF 


lifted  up,  and,  by  the  mercy  of  God,  am  what  I  am 
to-day."  Down  they  knelt;  preacher,  husband,  wife, 
and  children,  all,  all  wept ;  but  they  were  tears  of 
joy;  and  when  they  parted  it  was  in  the  glad  hope 
of  meeting-  in  that  blessed  land  where  no  partings 
shall  be. 

The  fact  that  Shaw,  at  one  period  of  his  hfe,  had 
contracted  a  taste  for  strong  drink,  and  had  strength 
and  resolution  enough  to  abandon  at  once  and  for 
ever  that  which  had  so  nearly  been  his  ruin,  gave 
him  great  power  over  such  as  had  been  enslaved 
by  the  same  appetite.  His  own  escape  from  the 
snare  made  him  feel  great  interest  and  hope  for  the 
escape  of  others;  and  to  such  his  own  case  was  a 
proof  that,  though  they  had  wandered  so  long  and 
far  in  the  path  of  criminal  self-indulgence,  a  return 
was  not  impossible.  He  not  only  approved  the 
various  temperance  reforms  which  sprang  up,  but 
became  a  bold  and  fearless  adv^ocate  of  them.  He 
did  not  wait  for  them  to  become  popular,  but  was 
always  in  the  advance  of  every  movement  upon  that 
question.  His  labors  in  the  temperance  cause  alone 
would  have  made  him  a  man  of  mark,  and  yet  his 
work  in  that  field  was  only  an  episode  in  the  labors 
of  his  life.  He  was  quite  prominent  in  what  is 
known  as  the  Murphy  Movement."  Indeed,  few 
men  did  more  to  further  it  than  he.  He  was  never 
more  at  home  than  when  before  immense  temper- 
ance mass  meetings;  hundreds  have  signed  the  pledge 
under  the  influence  of  one  of  his  impassioned  appeals. 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


63 


In  quite  a  number  of  places,  North  and  South,  he  in- 
augurated the  "Murphy  Movement,"  and  thousands 
under  his  labors  were  led  to  renounce  the  rule  of  the 
demon  drink.  During  the  last  few  months  of  his 
life  he  enlisted  about  fifteen  hundred  persons  into 
the  temperance  army;  gaining  one  hundred  and  fifty 
at  a  single  meeting  only  a  few  days  before  his  death. 

While  engaged  in  a  meeting  in  Kentucky  he  was 
greatly  prostrated  by  his  excessive  labors.  The  sis- 
ter at  whose  house  he  was  stopping  urged  him  to 
take  some  brandy,  but  he  declined  to  touch  it.  The 
lady  had  some  sent  to  his  room  and  placed  in  his 
reach  while  he  was  asleep.  When  he  awoke  and 
found  it  so  near  him  his  old  desire  came  back  with 
fearful  violence;  he  arose  from  his  bed,  fell  upon  his 
knees,  and  asked  God  for  strength  to  overcome  it, 
and,  taking  the  bottle  to  the  lady,  told  her  how  his 
long-slumbering  appetite  had  been  aroused,  and 
begged  her  never  again  to  place  such  a  temptation 
in  the  way  of  any  one  who  had  ever  been  under  the 
influence  of  that  monster  evil. 

Being  able  to  hold  in  check  the  fearful  craving 
that  early  indulgence  had  created,  gave  him  great 
power  in  persuading  others,  who  had  lost  all  con- 
fidence in  their  ability  to  control  their  appetites,  to 
make  a  struggle  to  do  so ;  and  not  a  few  did  so  suc- 
cessfully. Many  of  his  religious  converts  were  per- 
sons who  had  fallen  into  this  fearful  vice,  but  in  his 
esteem  none  were  so  fallen  as  to  be  beyond  hope  of 
recovery;  and  many  such  to-day  are  worthy  and  use- 


64 


LIFE  OF 


ful  members  of  the  church,  who  attribute  their  pres- 
ent condition,  under  God,  to  the  earnest  and  unselfish 
labors  of  him  who  had.  aroused  them  to  make  an 
endeavor  to  escape  when  hope  had  almost  died  in 
their  hearts.  He  seldom  held  a  protracted  meeting 
without  delivering  during  its  progress  one  or  more 
spirited  temperance  lectures,  which  in  many  cases 
proved  to  be  a  preparative  for  the  successful  sowing 
in  many  hearts  the  good  seed  of  the  kingdom  of 
God.  Much  of  this  temperance  work  was  performed 
in  the  open  air,  in  public  squares  and  like  places, 
where  large  crowds,  who  seldom  visited  churches, 
could  be  reached.  Some  of  these  gatherings,  as  for 
instance  at  the  Capitol  grounds  in  Jackson,  Missis- 
sippi, and  Lafayette  Square,  New  Orleans,  were 
such  as  never  had  been  collected  before  for  a  similar 
purpose,  and  impressions  were  made  such  as  will 
never  fade  away. 

A  striking  instance  of  his  sympathy  and  power  to 
adapt  himself  to  circumstances  took  place  in  Hum- 
boldt, Kansas.  A  wealthy  and  prominent  Presby- 
terian family  had  lost  an  infant.  Brother  Shaw  went, 
uninvited,  to  the  funeral;  the  Presbyterian  minister 
preached  a  funeral  sermon  from  a  text  in  the  Old 
Testament,  and,  after  the  discourse,  the  little  white 
coffin,  covered  with  flowers,  resting  on  a  marble- 
topped  table  in  the  parlor,  was  opened,  that  the 
friends  and  heart-stricken  parents  might  take  the 
last  look  at  the  little  unconscious  sleeper.  The  scene 
was  painful,  the  parting  severe,  when,  amid  the  sobs 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


65 


and  weeping,  there  fell  upon  their  ears,  in  one  of  the 
tenderest,  sweetest  voices  they  had  ever  heard,  the 
following  words  : 

**  I.  Many  children,  dear  to  us  while  here. 
Have  gone,  but  we  are  told 
That  our  absent  ones  in  heaven  appear, 

Among  the  saints  enrolled, 
As  the  lambs  of  the  upper  fold. 

Chorus. 

"For  Jesus  leads  the  tender  lambs ; 

They  are  now  in  the  land  where  they  ne'er  grow  old. 
How  dear  to  us  are  the  loving  lambs, 
The  lambs  of  the  upper  fold. 

"2.  I  see  the  throng,  I  hear  the  song, 

'Mid  the  angels  on  the  other  shore; 
In  the  pastures  green  they  are  ever  seen, 

On  Canaan's  peaceful  shore, 
In  the  land  where  they  weep  no  more. 
Chorus. 

««3.  Now  let  us  live,  to  Jesus  give 

Our  strength  while  young  and  old. 
So  when  we  are  gone  we  may  rest  at  home. 

And  walk  the  streets  of  gold, 
With  the  lambs  of  the  upper  fold. 
Chorus. 

"4.  Then  let  us  go  to  the  land  above, 
And  be  with  the  saints  enrolled, 
To  bear  the  palm  and  wear  the  crown, 

And  share  the  bliss  untold. 
With  the  lambs  of  the  upper  fold." 
Chorus. 

The  hearts  of  all  were  hushed,  and  the  thoughts 
of  the  stricken  ones  were  lifted  from  the  lifeless  clay 
to  the  dear  lost  one,  in  the  arms  of  the  Good  Shep- 
herd. Shaw,  entering  into  the  spirit  of  the  occasion, 
had  sung  one  of  his  own  sweet  hymns,  under  cir- 
cumstances that  gave  it  great  effect.  It  was  just 
5 


66 


LIFE  OF 


what  the  broken  hearts  before  him  needed.  He  was 
warmly  thanked  by  the  friends.  The  mother  after- 
ward sent  her  grateful  acknowledgments,  and  a 
request  for  a  copy  of  the  verses  he  had  sung.  And 
she  reckons  among  her  prized  treasures  the  "Lambs 
of  the  Upper  Fold." 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


67 


CHAPTER  VI. 


Meeting  at  St.  Louis —  Great  Ltterest — Reports  of  the  Press — 
Results. 

As  one  is  insensibly  attracted  to  the  hero  whose 
progress  from  victory  to  victory  he  traces  on  the 
page  of  history,  so  in  pursuing  the  hfe  of  this  true 
worker  for  Christ,  I  find  my  interest  and  admiration 
for  him  continually  increasing.  This,  I  am  aware  has 
a  tendency  to  render  me  more  partial  than  I  desire 
to  be;  and  yet  no  one  could  follow  the  current  of  a 
life  like  his  without  being  similarly  affected.  I  am 
glad,  therefore,  at  this,  one  of  the  most  successful 
periods  of  his  career,  to  be  able  to  present  to  the 
reader  the  views  of  those  whose  feelings  had  not 
been  enlisted  like  my  own,  namely,  the  reporters  for 
the  press  in  one  of  the  largest  cities  of  the  West, 
who  drew  the  picture  of  his  labors  as  they  passed 
before  them,  as  they  would  have  presented  before 
the  public  the  work  of  any  one  in  any  department 
whatever,  who  was  creating  an  interest  in  the  public 
mind.  A  great  speaker  on  any  theme,  of  any  party 
in  politics,  of  any  school  of  philosophy,  or  sect  in 


68 


LIFE  OF 


religion,  would  have  been  treated  in  tne  same  spirit 
of  fairness,  and  freedom  from  either  prejudice  or 
undue  prepossession,  as  was  he. 

This  was  in  the  city  of  St.  Louis,  in  the  winter  of 
1874.  It  must  be  remembered  that  Shaw  did  not  find 
the  clergy  and  churches  of  that  great  city  all  ready 
to  receive  him  and  heartily  co-operate  with  him  in 
his  work ;  not  even  a  single  large  and  influential 
religious  party  was  thus  prepared.  His  own  brethren 
were  neither  numerous  nor  influential,  and  the  influ- 
ence of  other  denominations  was  rather  against  than 
in  favor  of  the  effort  he  was  about  to  make.  St. 
Louis  did  not  prepare  for  his  coming  as  did  the 
various  cities  of  the  East  for  the  coming  of  Moody — 
making  success  a  certainty  before  he  came.  He 
came  almost  unheralded,  and  the  success  he  achieved 
was  his  o;vn.  The  reports  of  his  meeting  will  be 
given  at  considerable  length,  and  from  them  the 
reader  will  be  able  to  draw  a  pretty  correct  idea  of 
the  course  he  pursued  at  .^nearly  all  the  places  he 
visited.  A  general  idea  of  his  manner  and  methods 
may  be  gained,  the  nature  of  his  subjects  and  mode 
of  treatment  may  be  learned  to  a  certain  extent,  but 
it  must  at  the  same  time  be  remembered,  as  well  as 
regretted,  that  neither  in  this  place  nor  at  any  other, 
as  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  learn,  was  there  a  full 
and  complete  report  of  a  single  discourse  taken  and 
preserved ;  a  synopsis  of  several  is  given.  They  are, 
however,  meager  in  the  extreme ;  outlines  which 
the  imagination  will  attempt  in  vain  to  fill  up.  But 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


69 


the  greatest  charms  of  all,  the  looks,  tones,  the 
earnestness  and  pathos  of  the  speaker,  are  not,  and 
can  not  be  described  ;  and  yet,  to  those  who  never 
saw  and  heard  him,  even  what  has  been  rescued 
from  oblivion  by  the  reporter's  pencil  will  be  read 
with  interest  and  highly  prized.  We  shall  present 
several  notices  of  the  progress  of  his  meeting,  as 
nearly  as  possible  in  the  order  in  which  they  appeared. 
They  are  taken  from  the  columns  of  the  St.  Louis 
Globe  : 

'♦ELDER  KNOWLES  SHAW.  • 

"St.  Louis,  February  22^  1874. 
''To  the  Editor  of  the  Globe  : 

"Having  learned  that  the  great  revivalist,  Knowles 
Shaw,  would  preach  at  the  Central  Christian  Church,  Four- 
teenth and  St.  Charles  Streets,  on  Sunday  morning,  I  was 
induced  to  go  and  hear  him.  Mr.  Shaw  is  certainly  a  man 
of  extraordinary  power,  and,  in  my  judgment,  the  equal, 
if  not  the  superior,  of  Dr.  Hammond  in  his  influence  over 
the  masses.  The  hall  in  which  he  preached  this  morning 
was  crowded,  and  I  have  seldom  seen  an  assembly  of  peo- 
ple so  deeply  moved  with  seemingly  so  little  effort  on  the 
part  of  the  speaker. 

"  Mr.  Shaw  began  his  discourse  by  saying  that  he  was 
not  a  'systematic'  preacher;  that  when  he  first  began  to 
preach  he  had  his  first,  second,  and  third  divisions  of  his 
subject,  and  then  he  divided  his  first  into  firstly,  secondly, 
and  thirdly,  and  then  his  second  and  third  divisions  into 
the  same  general  heads,  and  so  on  through  to  the  end; 
that  he  discovered  before  a  great  while  that  he  was  not 
doing  any  good,  and  that  if  he  continued  to  preach  he 
must  change  his  method,  and  he  at  once  did  so.  He  said 
that  he  had  discovered  that  the  great  majority  of  preachers 
were  engaged  in  trying  to  convert  the  heads  of  the  people 
to  the  utter  neglect  of  their  hearts;  that  by  hammering 


70 


LIFE  OF 


away,  driving  doctrines  and  formulas  into  the  heads  of 
men,  the  people  had  not  only  become  hard-headed,  but 
hard-hearted  also.  He  thought  that  the  head  and  the 
heart  both  needed  to  be  converted. 

"Having  failed  in  his  first  efforts,  he  determined  to 
adopt  as  his  motto  the  declaration  of  the  great  Apostle  to 
the  Gentiles,  and  '  I  determined  to  know  nothing  among 
you  but  Jesus  Christ  and  him  crucified.'  He  then  an- 
nounced as  his  text,  '  Come,  see  the  place  where  the 
Lord  lay.' 

"I  will  not  attempt  to  give  any  idea  even  of  the  sermon. 
It  was  of  a  character  that  can  not  be  even  sketched.  The 
streaming  eyes  of  the  whole  audience  gave  evidence  of  the 
power  of  the  man  and  the  effectiveness  of  his  words.  If 
any  one  desires  to  have  his  soul  moved  to  its  profoundest 
depths,  let  him  go  and  listen  an  hour  to  Mr.  Shaw." 

The  next  is  as  follows : 

''Elder  Shaw  had  a  good  audience  at  the  hall,  corner 
Fourteenth  and  St.  Charles  Streets,  last  night. 

"Taking  for  his  text  the  words,  'Ye  do  always  resist 
the  Holy  Spirit,'  he  illustrated  it  by  the  case  of  a  young 
man  learning  to  drink.  How  the  first  time  of  entering 
the  rum-shop  he  would  go  in  at  the  back  door  and  take 
something,  and,  on  coming  out,  look  carefully  up  and 
down  the  street  to  see  if  any  one  had  observed  his  move- 
ments. By  and  by  he  gets  bolder,  and  at  last  enters  the 
front  door  and  calls  for  his  brandy  like  the  rest  of  the 
crowd.  At  first  he  conceals  all  this  from  his  mother. 
Later  he  doesn't  care  if  the  'old  woman'  does  know  it. 
And  so  he  goes  on  resisting  the  pleadings  of  his  conscience 
till  it  no  longer  upbraids  him.  Resisting  the  Holy  Spirit 
was  explained  as  the  resistance  of  any  good  influence,  or 
any  truth,  which  a  man's  inward  conciousness  might  de- 
clare to  him.  The  subject  was  illustrated  in  other  ways, 
and  then  the  audience  moved  down-stairs  to  a  room  on 
the  first  floor,  where  three  young  ladies  signified  their 
choice  of  the  good  part  which  can  not  be  taken  away  by 
undergoing  the  rite  of  baptism  at  the  Elder's  hands. 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


7^ 


Elder  Shaw  only  arrived  last  Sunday,  and  already 
some  forty  additions  have  been  made  to  the  church." 

The  next  is  at  greater  length. 

**The  hall  on  the  corner  of  Fourteenth  and  St.  Charles 
Streets  was  crowded  again  last  evening  to  hear  Elder  Shaw. 
The  interest  is  increasing  nightly,  and  it  will  soon  be  nec- 
essary to  obtain  another  place  in  order  to  accommodate 
the  audience.  The  subject  of  Elder  Shaw  last  evening 
was 

"'angels  and  their  mission.' 

''This  subject,  he  said,  is  supposed  to  belong  by  many 
to  the  dreamy  realms  of  speculation,  and  that  it  evinces 
weakness  to  dwell  upon  such  themes.  If  so,  then  we 
are  identified  with  such  weak  ones  as  Noah,  Job  and 
Daniel,  Isaiah,  Jeremiah  and  Joshua,  the  holy  apostles 
and  martyrs  and  great  reformers.  This  is  a  Bible  theme 
to  comfort  God's  children  and  warn  the  sinner.  Angel 
means  messenger ;  any  one  sent  may  be  called  an  angel, 
but  I  shall  speak  of  angels  as  an  order  of  beings  in  God's 
creation. 

"  I.  They  were  created  angels.  Many  think  they  were 
once  human  beings  and  transformed  into  angels,  but  Paul 
says,  in  Hebrews  xii:  'Ye  "are  come  to  the  spirits  of  just 
men  and  an  innumerable  company  of  angels,'  thus  draw- 
ing a  line  of  distinction  between  them.  He  says,  in  He- 
brews, first  chapter  and  last  verse,  that  the  angels  are 
ministering  spirits  to  the  heirs  of  salvation. 

"  2.  Their  number.  Jesus  said  he  could  call  more  than 
twelve  legions  of  angels — more  than  60,000.  John  saw 
'ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand,  and  thousands  of  thou- 
sands,' one  hundred  millions  and  more — how  many  he 
does  not  say.    Paul  says  the  company  is  innumerable. 

"3.  Their  strength.  David  sang  of  the  angels  that 
excel  in  strength.  The  angel  destroyed  the  first-born  in 
all  Egypt  where  God's  direction  had  not  been  followed. 
An  angel  rolled  away  the  stone  from  the  tomb  of  Christ — 
strength  to  do  whatever  God  has  for  them  to  do  for  man. 


72 


LIFE  OF 


4.  Swiftness  of  their  flight.  They  came  on  swift  wings 
to  comfort  God's  people.  Daniel  was  praying,  and  he 
says  :  'Gabriel  was  commanded  to  fly  swiftly,  and  he  came 
to  me,  and  touched  me,  and  spoke  to  me.'  He  was  com- 
forted by  an  angel  of  God.  If  the  poet  is  correct  when 
he  says, 

•«  *  'Tis  far  beyond  the  stars  and  sun, 
That  blissful  heaven  above, 
Where  we  may  dwell  when  time  is  done, 
By  serving  God  in  love,' 

then  the  angel's  flight — passing  world  after  v/orld,  till 
reaching  our  sun,  and  yet  95,000,000  of  miles  to  earth — 
sped  through  this  wondrous  space  all  in  a  very  few  min- 
utes, for  Daniel's  prayer  occupied  but  a  short  time,  and 
the  angel  came  while  he  was  'yet  praying.'  This  illus- 
trates the  swiftness  of  their  flight;  but  all  this,  though 
wonderful,  is  of  but  little  value  without  a  knowledge  of 

THEIR  MISSION. 

*'They  are  ministering  spirits  for  the  heirs  of  salvation, 
says  Paul,  Hebrews  i.  Notice  a  few  instances  :  Daniel  in 
the  lion's  den  rescued  by  an  angel  of  God;  Shadrach, 
IMeshach,  and  Abed-nego,  the  three  Hebrew  children  cast 
into  the  furnace.  God  sent  his  angel  to  comfort  them, 
and  to  quench  the  violence  of  the  fire.  But  in  the  New 
Testament  we  learn  that  an  angel  announced  to  Mary  that 
she  should  be  the  mother  of  the  Saviour.  Soon  after 
Christ's  birth,  during  the  edict  of  Herod,  the  angel  warned 
Joseph  and  Mary  to  flee  into  Egypt  for  the  safety  of  the 
child.  After  Herod's  death  the  angel  told  them  to  return. 
After  he  grew  up  to  manhood,  and  immediately  after  his 
baptism,  when  tempted  in  the  wilderness,  the  'angels 
ministered  unto  him.' 

"When  in  dark  Gethsemane,  with  no  human  eye  to 
watch  with  him,  and  no  sympathizing  friend,  behold  an 
'angel  came  strengthening  him.' 

"When  arrested,  Jesus  said  he  could  call  more  than 
twelve  legions  of  the  angels.  After  his  death  and  burial, 
on  the  third  morning  an  angel  rolled  away  the  stone  from 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


n 


the  sepulcher,  and  told  the  women  he  was  risen  from  the 
dead.  After  forty  days,  Jesus,  as  he  was  blessing  his  dis- 
ciples, was  taken  up  out  of  their  sight.  Two  angels  came 
down,  stood  by  the  weeping  disciples,  and  said,  '  Why 
stand  ye  gazing?  This  same  Jesus  shall  come  again.' 
They  were  comforted  and  returned  to  Jerusalem  to  await 
the  promise. 

♦*Yes,  *  Angels  did  his  steps  attend, 

Oft  gazed  and  wondered  where  at  length 
That  scene  of  love  should  end. 

*'  ♦  They  saw  him  in  the  garden  pray, 
They  saw  his  sweat  and  blood ; 
They  saw  his  tender  hands  and  feet 
Nailed  to  the  accursed  wood. 

«'  *  They  brought  his  chariot  from  the  skies 
To  bear  him  to  his  throne ; 
And  with  a  shout  exulting  cried, 
The  glorious  work  is  done.' 

*'But  angels  delivered  the  apostles  oft  from  prison  and 
trouble.  They  wafted  the  spirit  of  poor  Lazarus  to  the 
Paradise  of  God,  and  laid  him  in  Abraham's  bosom.  So 
they  ministered  to  salvation's  heirs.  *  They  encamped 
round-about  them  that  fear  God.'  How  thankful  should 
we  be 

"That  the  angels  of  bliss 
Can  bow  their  bright  wings  to  a  dark  world  like  this ; 
Can  leave  the  bright  mansions  of  glory  above, 
To  breathe  in  our  bosoms  some  message  of  love. 

"Yes,  they  come  ;  on  the  wings  of  the  morning  they  come, 
Impatient  to  bear  some  poor  wanderer  home  ; 
Some  pilgrim  to  snatch  from  this  stormy  abode, 
And  lay  him  to  rest  in  the  arms  of  his  God." 

But  the  angels  are 

ANXIOUS  FOR  THE  SINNER. 

"There  is  rejoicing  among  the  angels  over  one  sinner 
that  repenteth.  Yes,  poor  sinner,  they  are  ready  to  shout 
over  your  conversion  to  God;  let  them  have  a  grand  jubi- 
lee in  heaven  to  night. 


74 


LIFE  OF 


"  Christ  is  the  author  of  eternal  salvation  to  all  them 
that  obey  him.  Come  and  obey  the  Savior ;  be  an  heir 
of  salvation,  and  all  the  comforts  of  angelic  ministration 
may  be  yours.  The  angels  will  be  used  in  the  last  days. 
The  harvest  is  the  end  of  the  world,  and  the  reapers  are 
the  angels,  to  gather  the  tares  for  the  fire,  but  the  wheat 
for  the  garner  of  the  Lord.  May  you  all  be  found  in  that 
day  on  the  side  of  Jesus;  to  insure  this,  enlist  in  his  army. 
Now,  come  to-night. 

''There  are  reporters  here  taking  down  my  poor  scat- 
tering words,  my  weak  and  imperfect  appeals  to  you  to 
come  to  Jesus;  but  there  are  other  reporters  here — the 
angels  of  God  are  here— and  they  are  taking  note  of  emo- 
tions that  crowd  your  hearts,  and  they  will  report  them  to 
the  loving  Jesus.  They  are  here  to  waft  the  glad  news  of 
your  return  to  God,  when  all  heaven  will  rejoice.  Will 
you  come  to  Jesus,  and  come  now?" 

ELDER  SHAW'S  REVIVAL  CONTINUES  TO  INCREASE 
IN  INTEREST. 

"The  meetings  at  the  Central  Christian  Church,  Four- 
teenth and  St.  Charles  Streets,  are  growing  in  interest. 
The  hall  was  filled  to  its  utmost  capacity,  many  persons 
standing  in  the  aisles,  who  were  unable  to  obtain  seats. 

Mr.  Shaw,  as  his  custom  is,  before  the  regular  serv- 
ice, read  a  portion  of  Scripture — Luke,  19th  chapter — 
and  made  some  practical  comments  respecting  the  neces- 
sity of  sinners  coming  to  Jesus.  He  said,  if  sinners  would 
see  Jesus,  they  must  do  as  Zaccheus  did,  get  above  the 
world.  They  must  persevere  and  press  through  difficulties, 
and  Jesus  will  go  with  him  and  'sup  with  him.'  After 
singing  and  praying  the  speaker  introduced  his  subject  — 

"'the  glorious  gospel,' 
Taking  as  his  text  2  Corinthians  iv.  3,  4  :  '  But  if  our  gos- 
pel be  hid,  it  is  hid  to  them  that  are  lost :  in  whom  the  god 
of  this  world  hath  blinded  the  minds  of  them  which  believe 
not,  lest  the  light  of  the  glorious  gospel  of  Christ,  who  is 
the  image  of  God,  should  shine  imto  them.' 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


75 


•'All  God's  works  are  glorious,  from  the  atom  to  the 
archangel.  The  flower  that  blooms  at  our  feet,  the  grassy 
carpet  of  the  earth,  the  songsters  in  the  air,  the  beautiful 
stars  in  the  vaulted  heavens,  all,  to  the  Bible  student,  pro- 
claim the  glory  of  God.  So  that  while  the  gloomy  lie  of 
the  Atheist  goes  the  rounds,  that  there  is  no  God,  every 
pulsation  of  his  own  heart,  every  atom  of  his  own  nature, 
everything  around,  above,  and  beneath  contradict  him, 
saying,  'There  is  a  God,  and  he  is  thy  Maker.'  And  yet 
there  is  one  scene  around  which  cluster  the  chief  glory  of 
God — one  wreath,  the  most  glorious  of  all — and  that  is 
the  wreath  around  the  cross  of  Christ.  Let  us  consider 
some  of  the  reasons  for  calling  the  gospel  glorious.  First, 
on  account  of  its  origin.  It  came  from  heaven  ;  it  is  not 
a  plant  of  earthly  renown.  It  author,  Christ,  came  from 
the  bosom  of  the  Father.  The  all-glorious  Saviour,  by 
whom  all  worlds  were  made,  is  the  center,  soul,  and  cir- 
cumference of  the  gospel.  His  death,  his  burial,  his 
resurrection,  as  Paul  saith— i  Corinthians  xv. — are  the 
great  themes  of  the  gospel.  But  some  will  say,  'This  gos- 
pel came  not  from  God.'  Then  whence  came  it — from 
man?  Did  bad  men  make  it?  No;  they  would  not  con- 
demn themselves  on  its  every  page.  Bad  men  would  not 
like  to  write  their  own  eternal  death  warrants.  If  bad  men 
made  it,  they  have  made  the  best  book  ever  written. 
When  I  gather  figs  from  thistles,  grapes  from  the  thorn- 
tree,  and  dip  sweet  waters  from  a  bitter  fountain,  I  may 
believe  that  bad  men  made  the  gospel.  Did  good  men 
make  it  ?  No. 

"all  men  may  make  mistakes. 

"Good  men  may  err  sometimes;  but  a  good  man  will 
not  lie  willingly  and  die  for  his  falsehood.  All  those  whose 
names  appear  upon  its  page  say  it  came  from  God.  Holy 
men  of  old  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Spirit.  The 
apostles  spake  the  words  the  Holy  Spirit  taught  them. 
Yes,  glorious  in  its  origin ;  glorious  as  its  divine  Author. 
The  gospel  is  glorious  on  account  of  its  rarity.  It  is  the 
only  thing  of  the  kind  in  all  God's  universe.    If  diamonds 


76 


LIFE  OF 


were  as  plentiful  as  grains  of  corn  they  would  not  be  val- 
uable. 'Tis  their  rarity  that  is  the  reason  of  their  value. 
The  gospel  is  the  only  seed  from  which  the  Christian 
grows;  the  only  plan  of  salvation  for  a  lost  world;  the 
only  proclamation  of  pardon  and  promise  of  life  eternal 
in  all  the  realms  of  God  known  to  mortals.  Let  us  illus- 
trate. See  that  mother  bending  over  that  little  pair  of 
shoes  and  those  little  dresses  in  yonder  drawer.  Her  tears 
drop  like  rain.  What  meaneth  this?  Mother,  will  you 
sell  those  little  shoes  ?  No,  no,  she  replies.  Will  you  sell 
those  litde  dresses  ?  No.  Why  not  ?  She  answers,  there 
are  no  other  little  shoes  my  darling  baby's  feet  ever  wore ; 
no  other  little  dresses  she  used  to  wear.  Yes  [here  Mr. 
Shaw  sung  the  song], 

*  Put  aside  the  little  dresses 

That  our  darling  used  to  wear, 
She  will  need  them  on  earth  never, 

She  has  climbed  the  golden  stair. 
She  is  with  the  happy  angels, 

And  I  long  for  one  sweet  kiss; 
Where  those  little  feet  are  waiting, 

In  the  realms  of  perfect  bliss ; 
For  the  angels  whisper  that  our  darling 

Is  in  the  land  of  love  so  fair, 
That  her  little  feet  are  waiting 

Close  beside  the  golden  stair. 

"  *  Kiss  those  little  curly  tresses, 

Cut  from  her  bright  golden  hair; 
Do  the  angels  kiss  our  darling 

In  that  world  of  love  so  fair? 
Oh,  we  pray  to  meet  our  darling 

For  a  long,  long,  fond  embrace, 
Where  her  little  feet  are  waiting. 

And  we'll  see  her  face  to  face.' 

**Were  the  gospel  obliterated  it  could  not  be  repro- 
duced, and  man  would  soon  fall  back  into  terrible  hea- 
thenism. Glorious  in  its  rarity ;  next,  it  is  glorious  in  its 
simplicity.  Its  facts  are  easily  understood ;  they  are  three: 
The  death,  the  burial,  the  resurrecdon  of  Jesus  Christ, 
(i  Corinthians  xv.  i,  4.)  Its  commands  are  simple  and 
readily  comprehended;  there  are  three  to  induct  us  into  the 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


77 


kingdom  here :  Believe  in  Christ  (Romans  x.  9,  10.  John 
iii.  18)  ;  repent  of  all  your  sins  (Acts  xvii.  30.  Luke  xiii. 
3,  5);  be  baptized  (Mark  xvi.  16.  Acts  ii.  38.  Acts  x.  48, 
etc.).  These  several  commands  must  be  obeyed  to  finish 
the  work.  (See  2  Peter  i.  5-9.)  All  these  are  easily  under- 
stood. The  gospel  is  glorious  on  account  of  its  simplicity. 
I  am  often  amused,  and  sometimes  pained,  to  hear  minis- 
ters making  such  terrible  efforts  to  display  their  learning, 
instead  of  using  it  to  make  a  matter  so  plain  that  it  can 
not  be  misunderstood.  They  make  it  so  mysterious  with 
their  highfalutin,  toploftically,  grandiloquent  superlatives 
that  it  can't  be  comprehended.  What  think  you  of  a 
preacher  who  says,  '  A  city  situate  on  an  eminence  is  con- 
spicuous,' instead  of  '  A  city  set  on  a  hill  can  not  be  hid?' 
The  gospel  is  plain.  The  feeblest  intellect  accountable  to 
God  can  comprehend  it.  It  is  perfectly  adapted  to  all 
responsible  beings. 

"Fourth  and  last:  The  gospel  is  glorious  in  its  influ- 
ence. This  influence  is  threefold;  it  is  enlightening. 
'The  entrance  of  thy  word,'  says  the  Psalmist,  'giveth 
light.'  Said  Jesus  to  Saul  of  Tarsus:  I  have  appeared 
unto  you  to  send  you  to  the  Gentiles,  to  open  their  eyes, 
to  turn  them  from  darkness  to  light.  In  nature,  no  light 
no  life:  so  in  grace.  *  It  is  pure,  enlightening  the  eyes.' 
It  is  controlling  in  its  influence.  How  many  are  here 
whom  the  gospel  has  controlled;  bringing  them  from  a.wful 
sinfulness  to  the  happy  state  of  the  justified  !  (See  Acts  ii. 
23,  to  close  of  the  chapter;  also  i  Corinthians  6,  9,  10,  11.) 
These  were  all  conquered  by  the  gospel."  Here  Mr.  Shaw 
gave  several  touching  cases  of  conversion  under  his  own 
observation.  One  of  the  most  striking  was  that  of  ' '  Blue 
Dick,"  a  notorious  drunkard,  redeemed,  happiness  brought 
to  wife  and  children,  and  to  the  poor  man's  own  heart, 
and  to  society.  These  were  related  with  thrilling  effect. 
"Lastly,  the  gospel's  influence  is  comforting  in  its  promises, 
pardon,  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  a  home  in  heaven. 
It  promises  the  rebel  sinner  pardon  and  peace ;  it  offers  to 
the  homeless  a  home  beyond  the  shadows  of  the  grave; 
to  the  tempest-tossed  mariner  on  life's  boisterous  ocean  a 


78 


LIFE  OF 


quiet  haven,  into  which  his  vessel  may  sail  for  safety.  To 
the  weary,  foot-sore  traveler  it  offers  a  rest  after  the  jour- 
ney is  past.  Oh,  glorious  gospel !  It  gives  us  back  our 
loved  ones,  now  departed.  It  is  balm  to  the  wounded 
soul.  It  wipes  the  mourner's  tears  away,  and  gives  us 
peace;  opens  the  gate  to  the  soul  when  the  night  of  death 
comes;  ushers  us  into  that  blessed  society  of  the  angels 
and  all  the  holy  throng.  Sinner,  will  you  accept  this  glori- 
ous gospel  ?  Come  to  the  Savior ;  no  longer  delay.  He 
calls  you  now ;  has  been  calling  long ;  open  your  hearts 
jind  let  him  come  in.  Now,  while  the  Father  is  smiling, 
while  Jesus  is  pleading,  while  angels  are  ministering,  while 
glory  is  beaming,  while  the  glorious  gospel  is  calling,  and 
Christians  praying  for  you,  come;  come  now,  a  warm 
heart's  welcome  will  be  given  you.  This  offer  will  not 
stand  forever ;  the  time  will  come  when  these  opportuni- 
ties will  be  yours  no  more.    Who  will  come  ?" 

ELDER  KNOWLES  SHAW  AT  MASONIC  HALL. 

**The  interest  in  these  meetings  does  not  flag  in  the 
least.  There  was  a  large  audience  present  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  at  night  the  large  hall  was  literally  full.  We  » 
have  seldom  seen  such  marked  attention  in  so  large  an 
audience.  At  the  close  of  the  morning  services  five  or 
six  persons  were  received  into  the  church.  The  meetings 
will  be  continued  through  the  week  at  the  hall  on  Four- 
teenth and  St.  Charles  Streets. 

"  It  is  Mr.  Shaw's  custom  to  sing  while  the  people  are 
gathering,  and  this  morning,  although  suffering  from  cold, 
he  sang  several  songs  from  his  own  book,  called  ^Spark- 
ling Jewels. '  After  these  songs  he  read  a  portion  of  Scrip- 
ture, and  commented  on  it — particularly  the  text,  'Receive 
ye  one  another,  without  regard  to  difference  of  opinion* 
He  said  that  opinions  are  based  on  reason — human  reason 
is  fallible,  and  ought  not,  under  any  circumstances,  be  set 
up  as  conditioi'is  of  fellowship.  He  illustrated  his  point 
by  a  number  of  examples,  and  closed  this  lesson  with  an 
exhortation  to  bear  with  one  another ;  that  none  other 
than  a  selfish  spirit  would  insist  on  the  adoj)tion  of  his 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


79 


Opinions  to  the  exclusion  of  all  others.  Such  action  on 
the  part  of  any  one  demonstrated  that  he  valued  his  own 
opinions  more  than  he  valued  the  wisdom  of  God  and  of 
Christ,  who  has  taught  us  to  receive  one  another  in  love, 
without  regard  to  these  differences.  God  is  judge— who 
art  thou,  who  condemns?  Every  man  stands  or  falls  be- 
fore his  own  Master. 

The  subject  for  the  morning  was 

"  'THE  MEDIATION  OF  CHRIST,' 

From  the  text  in  Second  Timothy,  second  chapter  and 
fifth  verse — 'For  there  is  one  God  and  one  Mediator  be- 
tween God  and  man— the  man  Christ  Jesus.'  Not  gods 
many  and  mediators  many,  nor,  as  we  have  it  in  our  day, 
fOne  God  and  many  mediators — not  that.  There  is  one 
God,  and  there  is  one  Mediator,  and  that  one  Mediator  is 
Jesus  the  Christ. 

"The  necessity  for  mediation  grew  out  of  the  fall  of 
man.  Before  man  sinned  he  communed  with  God  di- 
rectly—  without  a  'middle  one,'  or  a  'between  man.' 
How  long  this  happy  age  lasted  we  know  not,  nor  is  it 
important  that  we  should:  It  continued  until  man  sinned ; 
then  came  the  necessity  of  mediation.  Man  could  no 
longer  approach  God  in  his  own  person ;  he  has  become 
defiled  by  sin.  For  four  thousand  years  the  mediation 
was  more  or  less  imperfect.  Man  approached  God  through 
the  sacrifice  of  an  animal  presented  by  one  appointed  and 
set  apart  for  that  duty.  In  the  patriarchal  age  the  father 
of  the  family  officiated  for  himself  and  family.  But  these 
were  but  men,  and  imperfect  men  besides,  who  had  first 
to  offer 

"sacrifice  for  themselves. 

And  then  for  the  people,  and  the  sacrifice  itself  had  no 
consciousness  of  sin,  and  the  mediation  was  necessarily 
imperfect.  Then  came  the  Mosaic  dispensation.  Moses 
was  mediator  between  God  and  the  people,  and  interceded 
for  them  when  they  sinned.  Afterward  the  tribe  of  Levi 
was  set  apart  to  the  priest's  office,  and  offered  the  sacri- 
fices for  the  people;  but  these  were  only  men,  and  imper- 


So 


LIFE  OF 


feet  men,  too,  the  same  imperfect  mediators,  the  same 
sacrifices  having  no  consciousness  of  sin,  could  not  make 
the  comers  thereunto  perfect.  Angels  partook  not  of  the 
nature  of  man,  and  did  not,  therefore,  possess  the  requi- 
site qualifications.  There  is  one  Mediator,  between  God 
and  man,  the  man  Christ  Jesus.  This  leads  to  the  inquiry 
respecting  the  characteristics  of  a  perfect  mediator.  He 
must  be  acquainted  with  both  parties;  must  understand 
the  nature  and  disposition  of  both  parties ;  he  must  under- 
stand the  nature  of  the  difficulty;  he  must  possess  the  con- 
fidence of  both  parties;  must  be  related  to  both.  These 
qualifications  are  all  possessed  by  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
He  is  divine,  and  he  is  human;  consequently  related 
to  both  parties. 

'  HE  WAS  WITH  GOD,' 

He  has  been  with  man.  He  is  acquainted  with  the  re- 
quirements of  the  Divine  government;  he  knows  the 
weaknesses  of  the  human  nature,  for  he  was  human;  he 
knows  our  frames;  he  experienced  our  sorrows,  our  tears, 
our  disappointments,  our  anxieties;  he  has  felt  and  he 
understands  the  depth  and  strength  of  the  sympathies  and 
affections  of  the  human  heart;  he  passed  through  them 
all,  from  the  cradle  to  the  grave.  There  are  those  who 
imagine  that  children  do  not  have  troubles  and  trials  and 
disappointments,  but  they  do,  and  Jesus  sympathizes  with 
them  as  he  does  with  children  of  a  larger  growth ;  he  took 
them  into  his  arms  and  blessed  them.  He  then  gave  sev- 
eral cases  to  illustrate  the  deep  affections  and  anxious 
solicitude  of  the  little  ones,  and  the  way  in  which  parents 
often  treat  their  little  ones  and  crush  out  these  emotions 
and  loves ;  and  sang  two  verses  of  a  little  song  with  thrill- 
ing effect. 

"Jesus  sympathizes  with  the  young.  He  sympathizes 
with  the  race  in  every  condition  of  life.  He  began  at  the 
base  of  the  hill.  He  passed  through  every  condition  in 
life.  He  saw  it  all.  He  felt  it  all.  He  stooped  to  the 
lowest.  None  too  low  for  Jesus'  sympathy — none  so  high 
he  can  not  reach.  With  one  hand  he  lays  hold  on  the 
throne  of  God,  with  the  other  the  human  race,  and  thus 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


8i 


he  mediates  peace.  He  has  purchased  your  peace  by  the 
sacrifice  of  himself.  God  is  waiting  for  the  sinner's  re- 
turn. Will  you  not  accept  of  the  mediation  of  Christ, 
and  become  reconciled  to  God  ?" 

We  close  these  extracts  with  the  following: 

Elder  Shaw  preached  to  another  large  audience  last 
evening.  Since  the  commencement  of  his  meetings  the 
interest  has  been  steadily  on  the  increase  and  many  souls 
have  been  converted  from  the  ways  of  sin  to  a  belief  in 
future  salvation.  After  the  services  last  evening  a  num- 
ber of  converts  were  baptized.  We  give  below  a  synopsis 
of  his  sermon.  The  text  was  taken  from  Amos,  fourth 
chapter  and  twelfth  verse:  '  Prepare  to  meet  thy  God.' 

"The  meeting  with  God  is  inevitable,  else  the  warning 
had  never  been  given.  It  is  a  solemn  warning,  and 
admonitions  come  to  us  every  day,  every  hour,  every 
moment.  We  have  this  warning  in  the  falling  leaves,  our 
dying  friends ;.  everything  sounds  out  a  solemn  warning, 
yet  thousands  act  as  if  they  never  expected  to  meet  God. 
Yec  Paul  says:  'All  things  are  open  to  him  with  whom 
we  have  to  do.'  We  have  to  do  with  God,  we  have  to 
meet  him.  All  conditions  must  meet  him,  old  and  young, 
rich  and  poor,  saint  and  sinner.    There  are  no  exceptions, 

''no  exemptions — ALL,  ALL 

Must  meet  God.  I  wish  I  could  impress  this  solemn 
truth  on  every  heart  in  this  hall  to-night.  It  is  God's 
warning  voice ;  will  you  heed  it  ? 

"We  must  meet  God  in  providence.  There  are  those 
who  do  not  believe  in  the  providence  of  God,  particularly 
in  special  providences,  but  it  is  found  in  history,  in 
the  lives  of  the  prophets,  of  apostles,  of  every  man  and 
woman  that  lives,  or  ever  has  lived.  Every  day  we  live 
we  meet  God  in  his  providences,  we  meet  him  in  the  death 
of  friends^  in  hours  of  sorrow  and  of  joy,  in  rejoicings  and 
in  tears, 

*  In  every  condition,  in  sickness,  in  death, 
In  poverty's  vale  or  abounding  in  wealth,' 


82 


LIFE  OF 


And  we  must  be  prepared  for  all  these.  Men,  when  en- 
gaged in  battle,  prepare  for  the  conflict;  preparation  is 
more  than  half  the  battle;  we  have  to  meet  temptation 
and  must  prepare  for  it.  Jesus  prepared  himself  to  meet 
death  by  prayer  in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane.  Necessity 
for  a  preparation  was  illustrated  by  examples  from  Hfe ; 
the  effect  of  want  of  preparation  in  adversity,  and  the 
result  of  a  preparation,  was  forcibly  and  feelingly  set 
forth. 

''WE  MUST  MEET  GOD  IN  DEATH. 

"This  is  not  a  pleasant  picture  to  contemplate.  We  love 
to  talk  of  joy  and  pleasures  and  happiness,  but  it  is  not 
pleasant  to  contemplate  the  separation  from  friends,  from 
all  we  love  on  earth ;  the  decay  of  our  bodies ;  the  grave 
with  all  its  darkness — but  these  are  realities  and  must  be 
met.  We  must  meet  God  in  judgment;  that  day  which 
shall  reveal  the  secrets  of  all  hearts.  The  motives  of  the 
heart  will  be  the  basis  of  that  judgment — not  from  mere 
outward  appearance.  All  sins  unforgiven  will  stand  out 
in  all  their  blackness  and  terribleness  to  condemn  us  for- 
ever. A  preparation  is  absolutely  necessary.  Think  not  to 
leave  it  off  till  death  shall  come;  do  not  wait  for  God  to 
do  more.  Till  you  have  done  your  duty  God  will  do  no 
more;  he  has  done  nearly  all.  Just  a  little  for  you  to  do 
— do  it  without  delay. 

"the  preparation — WHAT  IS  IT? 

"We  find  man  unregenerated,  unprepared  in  heart,  in 
the  purpose  of  his  life,  and  in  his  relation  or  state.  How 
came  he  so  ?  When  man  dwelt  in  Eden  pure  and  holy, 
he  was  first  induced  to  unbelief  through  falsehood  preached 
by  Satan,  who  negatived  God's  word — this  unbelief  ruined 
the  heart— then  this  bad  heart  suggested  a  change  of  will 
from  good  to  bad,  or  repentance  from  God  in  a  resolve  to 
disobey  God's  command ;  then  when  unbelief  had  ruined 
the  heart,  and  a  resolve  to  do  wrong  had  ruined  man's  pur- 
pose or  will,  then  an  overt  act  of  disobedience,  in  eating  the 
forbidden  fruit,  was  the  ruin  of  man's  state  or  relation. 
On  account  of  this  act  man  was  driven  out  of  Eden. 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


83 


Now,  if  belief  of  falsehood  or  unbelief  of  the  truth  ruins 
the  heart,  the  belief  of  truth  or  faith  will  purify  the  heart. 
Paul  says,  'God  purifies  the  heart  by  faith.'  After  a 
preparation  of  the  heart  by  faith,  then  the  will  is  prepared 
by 

'''REPENTANCE  TOWARD  GOD.' 

"This  is  induced  by  godly  sorrow  and  leads  to  refor- 
mation of  life.  And  as  man  is  wrong  in  his  relation,  he 
must  now  file  his  intention  to  become  a  citizen  of  Christ's 
kingdom,  by  a  public  confession  of  Christ  as  the  Divine 
Saviour,  the  only  atoning  sacrifice  for  sin,  after  which  his 
state  is  changed,  by  the  '  oath  of  allegiance '  in  holy  bap- 
tism, into  the  name  of  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit.  This 
preparation  is  finished  by  a  life  of  piety  and  prayerfulness, 
thus  becoming  assimilated  to  the  character  of  God.  In 
all  this  we  are  aided,  instructed,  and  guided  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  who  enables  us  to  bear  the  precious  fruits  of  a  holy 
life.  Prepare  now ;  defer  not  this  most  important  of  all 
matters.  The  solemn  warning  is  heard  from  all  our  dying 
friends.  Your  own  hearts  tell  you  we  must  prepare  soon, 
or  meet  God  unprepared.  Oh,  how  solemn  the  thought — 
to  be  ushered  into  the  presence  of  the  Holy  God  and 
Jesus  Christ  without  due  preparation.  Begin  by  giving 
your  heart  to  Christ ;  then  you  may  die  with  your  face 
heavenward,  with  all  the  rich  promises  of  the  gospel  to 
cheer  you  as  you  pass  through  the  valley." 

As  the  result  of  these  labors  one  hundred  and  fifty- 
persons  were  added  to  the  church,  many  weak  and 
weary  ones  strengthened  and  refreshed,  and  seed 
sown  in  many  hearts,  of  which  eternity  alone  will 
tell  the  harvest. 


I 


84 


LIFE  OF 


CHAPTER  VII. 


Anecdotes — A  Change  of  Heafi  Wanted — Scoffer  Silenced — 
Danger  of  hnmersion — Sla7iderer  Reproved —  Universalists 
Answered — Convention  Quieted — Humorous  A?iswers. 

Traveling  extensively  as  he  did,  and  mingling 
with  all  classes  of  men,  he  had  of  necessity  a  large 
and  varied  experience.  He  was  everywhere  at  home, 
and  equal  to  the  occasion,  whatever  it  might  be.  A 
volume  might  be  fVlled  with  incidents,  both  amusing 
and  instructive,  but  a  few  must  suffice. 

At  one  of  his  meetings  a  gentleman  was  deeply 
impressed,  and  told  Shaw,  with  tears,  that,  if  he 
could  only  experience  a  change  of  heart,  he  would 
confess  Christ  and  be  baptized  immediately.  He 
perceived  at  once  the  nature  of  the  difficulty,  which 
was  the  too  common  idea  that  a  change  of  heart 
was  a  miraculous  change,  and  not  one  produced  by 
a  belief  in,  and  love  for  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  He 
asked  him  if  he  was  sorry  for  his  past  sins?  if  he 
wanted  to  be  a  Christian?  if  he  loved  God?  if  he 
desired  to  go  to  heaven?  if  he  believed  with  all  his 
heart  that  Jesus  Christ  was  the  Son  of  the  living 


KNOVVLES  SHAW. 


85 


God?  To  each  of  these  questions,  with  the  greatest 
earnestness  and  sincerity,  he  replied,  "I  do. "  "Then," 
said  Shaw,  "you  have  all  the  preparation  needed  to 
become  a  member  of  the  Church  of  Christ.  If  your 
heart  were  changed  from  what  it  now  is,  you  would 
not  be  sorry  for  your  sins ;  you  would  not  want  to  be 
a  Christian ;  you  would  hate  God ;  you  would  deny 
the  divinity  of  Christ,  and  reject  the  Savior."  He 
at  once  saw  his  mistake,  confessed  his  faith  in  Christ, 
and  was  baptized. 

At  Dowagiac,  Michigan,  in  1876,  the  following 
incident  took  place,  which  shows  the  readiness  with 
which  he  could  meet  and  silence  a  scoffer.  He  had 
been  invited  to  visit  that  place  after  his  great  meet- 
ing at  Buchanan,  Michigan,  where  two  hundred  and 
twenty-six  additions  had  been  made  in  less  than  a 
month.  Of  course  his  expected  visit  was  the  theme 
of  common  conversation,  and  his  coming  was  looked 
for  with  great  interest.  He  reached  the  place  at  a 
time  when  no  one  was  looking  for  him,  and  at  once 
went  into  a  shoe-store,  where  he  found  a  number  of 
persons  discussing  the  subject  of  baptism,  and  learned 
from  their  conversation  that  a  meeting  was  in  prog- 
ress at  the  church  with  which  he  expected  to  labor, 
and  that  additions  by  baptism  had  been  made  almost 
daily. 

For  some  time  he  sat  a  silent  listener,  until  one  of 
the  party  said  that  he  would  go  down  to  the  river 
and  be  baptized  by  the  *  *  Campbellites  "  for  a  dollar. 
Upon  this  Shaw  hastily  took  a  dollar  out  of  his 


86 


LIFE  OF 


pocket-book  and  offered  it  to  the  man  who  had 
made  the  above  remark,  saying: 

*'Here  is  your  dollar;  I  will  go  down  and  see  you 
baptized." 

The  man  hesitated,  and  finally  refused  to  take  it; 
but  Shaw  urged  him,  and  insisted  that  he  should  do 
as  he  had  declared  he  would  do.  He  then  made 
a  decided  refusal,  and  Shaw  said  to  him : 

*T  knew  you  were  lying  when  you  made  the 
offer,  and  now  you  are  proved  guilty." 

"What  is  your  name?"  said  the  man  thus  accused. 

"My  name  is  Shaw,"  was  the  reply." 

"What!"  said  the  man,  **Shaw  the  great  revivalist?" 

"That  is  what  they  sometimes  call  me,"  replied 
Shaw. 

The  man  was  greatly  mortified,  but,  instead  of 
cherishing  hatred  against  him  who  had  administered 
such  a  severe  rebuke,  he  became  one  of  Brother 
Shaw's  warmest  friends. 

Another  incident  of  a  somewhat  different  charac- 
ter took  place  at  De  Soto,  Iowa,  in  the  winter  of 
1872.  Brother  Shaw  was  conducting  a  series  of  meet- 
ings there,  and  the  interest  became  intense,  not  only 
in  the  town,  but  for  miles  around,  and  scores  of  con- 
verts were  added  to  the  church.  Among  the  con- 
verts was  a  young  lady  who  had  long  been  in  feeble 
health,  and  was  supposed  to  have  heart  disease. 
Some  of  her  friends,  who  were  greatly  opposed  to 
immersion,  endeavored  to  convince  her  that  immer- 
sion in  her  case  would  probably  result  in  death.  She 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


87 


was,  however,  firm  in  her  determination,  and  true  to 
her  convictions  of  duty,  and,  regardless  of  all  oppo- 
sition, was  immersed  by  Brother  Shaw.  The  day 
following  the  report  became  current  that  she  was 
very  ill,  and  that  her  immersion  would  most  Hkely 
result  in  her  death.  That  night,  as  the  meeting  was 
about  to  close,  Shaw  noticed  this  young  lady  was  in 
the  audience,  and,  calling  attention  to  the  current 
report  concerning  her  illness,  he  said:  "This  sister 
is  not  dead,  nor  is  she  seriously  ill,  as  I  will  now 
prove."  And  then  added:  "Sister,  will  you  please 
stand  up  on  the  seat  that  all  may  see  you?"  She 
complied  with  his  request;  when  he  said:  "There 
she  is;  do  you  see  her?  Now,  let  those  who  started 
and  circulated  the  false  report  hang  their  heads  in 
shame."  This  scene  was  not  forgotten,  and  served 
to  increase  the  interest  of  the  meeting. 

During  his  great  meeting  at  Buchanan,  Michigan, 
a  Methodist  preacher,  resident  there,  endeavored  to 
change  the  current  of  public  feeling,  which  was  in 
Shaw's  favor,  by  gross  misrepresentations  of  his 
views.  On  becoming  acquainted  with  the  facts  in 
the  case,  Shaw  said  to  his  audience,  which  was  an 
immense  one,  that  a  certain  preacher  (naming  him) 
had  made  some  false  statements,  which  he  specified 
in  full.  He  then  said:  "I  now  advertise  this  man  as 
guilty  of  willful  falsehood.  May  God  have  mercy  on 
him."  Soon  after  the  preacher  sought  an  interview 
with  him,  confessed  the  wrong  he  had  done,  and 
asked  forgiveness.    As  soon  as  an  opportunity  pre- 


88 


LIFE  OF 


sented  itself,  Shaw  publicly  called  attention  to  the 
statements  he  had  previously  made,  and  said : 
"Brethren  and  friends,  this  man  has  repented  of  his 
wrong-doing  and  asked  forgiveness.  Let  every  one 
forgive  him.  I  forgive  him  most  freely,  and  may 
God's  richest  blessings  rest  upon  him."  This  made 
a  deep  impression,  and  many  were  moved  to  tears. 

He  rather  av^oided  than  provoked  controversy, 
preferring  to  win  by  kindness  than  conquer  by  force. 
An  instance  of  this  occurred  at  Humboldt,  Kansas, 
during  one  of  his  meetings  there.  Two  young  men, 
Universalists,  approached  him  on  the  street, and  said: 

**We  have  heard,  sir,  that  you  are  an  able  and 
bold  defender  of  the  Christian  faith.  Will  you  tell 
us  what  you  think  of  hell?  Is  there  such  a  place, 
where  the  wicked  are  tormented  in  fire  forever  and 
ever?  We  are  very  anxious  to  have  that  question 
settled,  and  we  hope  you  will  be  able  to  give  us 
some  light  upon  it." 

Shaw  fixed  his  eyes  on  the  ground  for  a  moment, 
as  in  deep  thought,  and  then  looking  up,  replied: 
"I  shall  preach  to-night,  in  Young's  Hall,  on  Bridge 
Street,  and  as  there  may  be  others  whose  thoughts 
are  turned  in  the  same  direction  as  yours,  if  you  will 
come  I  will  give  my  views  on  that  subject,  so  that 
all  may  have  the  benefit  of  them." 

This  pleased  them,  and  they  soon  spread  the  report 
that  Knowles  Shaw  was  going  to  tell  what  he  thought 
about  hell  that  night ;  and  the  result  was  not  only 
every  seat,  but  all  the  standing-room,  was  occupied. 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


89 


He  took  as  his  theme  the  "Christian  Life,"  and 
until  nearly  the  close  of  the  discourse  did  not  make 
the  slightest  allusion  to  the  subject  that  had  brought 
so  many  there.  At  length  he  said:  "Two  young 
men  accosted  me  on  the  street  to-day  and  asked  my 
opinion  concerning  hell.  I"  promised  to  give  it  to- 
night, and,  as  they  are  here,  I  will  proceed  to  do 
so.  Within  a  few  years  past  the  angel  of  death  has 
visited  my  fam.ily  three  times,  taking  one  of  my  be- 
loved children  at  each  visit.  I  thought  perhaps  that 
the  climate  in  which  I  lived  had  something  to  do 
with  this  fatality,  and  began  to  ask  myself,  May  I 
not  find  a  healthier  region  than  where  I  now  reside? 
I  thought  of  my  only  daughter,  her  weakly  consti- 
tution, her  lack  of  vital  force,  and  wondered  if  I 
could  not  find  a  more  congenial  climate,  where  she 
might  be  longer  spared  to  me  than  I  feared  she 
would  where  we  dwelt.  I  heard  of  Kansas,  its  broad 
prairies,  its  pure  and  healthful  atmosphere.  I  asked 
every  one  I  saw  that  had  been  there  about  its  cli- 
mate, water,  and  especially  about  its  society;  and 
the  reports  I  heard  were  so  favorable  that  I  finally 
resolved  to  go.  After  I  started,  my  anxiety  increased, 
and  I  did  not  close  my  inquiries  until  I  reached 
here.  Now,  why  all  that  interest,  all  those  inquiries? 
Simply  because  the  thought  of  going  there  had  taken 
full  possession  of  my  mind. 

"About  sixteen  years  ago  I  became  dissatisfied 
with  this  world,  its  short-lived  and  fading  pleasures, 
and  raised  the  question.  Is  there  not  a  better  world 


go 


LIFE  OF 


than  this  ?  I  was  told  that  there  was ;  that  the  name 
of  that  land  was  Heaven ;  that  its  capital  was  the 
New  Jerusalem,  whose  streets  were  paved  with  gold ; 
that  its  walls  were  jasper,  and  its  gates  pearl ;  that 
the  river  of  life  flowed  through  it;  that  it  was  a 
healthful  clime ;  no  sickness  nor  sorrow  there ;  that 
its  society  was  pure,  composed  of  the  best  that  the 
earth  had  ever  known ;  and  that  I  should  be  happy- 
forever  if  I  could  enter  there.  The  testimony  was 
good ;  it  came  from  the  Son  of  God  ;  Jesus  had  left 
the  courts  of  glory,  and  came  all  the  way  to  this 
sinful  world  of  ours  to  tell  us  of  his  Father's  house, 
with  its  many  mansions ;  and  then  went  back,  after 
sealing  the  testimony  with  his  blood,  to  prepare  a 
place  for  us.  I  believed  the  testimony;  and  having 
a  desire  to  better  my  condition,  I  started  with  a  gen- 
uine ticket,  stamped  with,  *He  that  believeth  and 
is  baptized  shall  be  saved.'  I  have  been  traveling  in 
that  direction  ever  since,  making  inquiries  of  the 
Book  of  God  all  the  way.  The  nearer  I  get  the  clearer 
are  the  directions;  and  I  am  so  fully  persuaded  that 
it  is  the  best  country  to  which  a  man  can  journey 
that  I  am  constantly  telling  others  all  I  know  about 
it,  and  trying  to  get  them  to  go  with  me  to  share  its 
joys.  As  to  that  other  country,  about  which  those 
young  men  are  so  anxious  to  hear,  I  must  say  that 
I  have  heard  of  it,  but  the  reports  were  so  very  unfa- 
vorable that  I  concluded  it  was  not  as  good  a  coun- 
try, and  perhaps  much  worse  than  this;  and  as  I 
never  thought  of  emigrating  unless  it  were  to  a  better 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


91 


country,  and  to  better  my  condition,  I  have  thought 
but  Httle  about  it,  as  I  have  not  the  least  intention 
or  desire  to  go  there.  I  have  therefore  determined 
to  spend  my  time  in  setting  forth  the  glories  of  the 
better  country,  of  heaven.  We  want  you  all  to  go 
with  us;  we  want  bold  and  true  soldiers;  hell-scared 
ones  don't  amount  to  much,  unless  you  can  manage 
to  keep  them  scared  all  the  way."  The  answer  was 
satisfactory — there  was  no  reason  for  wishing  to  hear 
more  about  hell. 

He  was  ready-v/itted,  self-possessed,  had  a  sense 
of  the  fitness  of  things.  If  his  audience  seemed 
dull  or  wearied,  he  would  stop  preaching,  and  sing 
a  lively  song  or  tell  an  apt  story,  which  never  failed 
to  rest  and  revive. 

In  the  same  way  he  would  relieve  the  monotony 
of  a  business  meeting,  and  even  bring  order  out  of 
confusion.  He  attended  a  convention  at  one  time, 
but  did  not  reach  the  place  until  the  audience  was 
gathered.  The  house  was  packed ;  no  one  knew 
him.,  and  he  took  his  seat  among  the  crowd  until  the 
session  was  closed  and  the  people  dismissed.  They 
were  slow  to  leave,  however ;  greetings  took  place 
between  those  who  had  not  met  for  a  season ;  the 
members  residing  there  were  inviting  strangers  to 
their  homes ;  all  over  the  house  groups  were  engaged 
in  conversation,  and  all  so  absorbed  that  no  one  could 
hear  the  chairman  of  the  meeting,  who  had  forgotten 
to  make  an  important  announcement,  and  was  vainly 
endeavoring  to  gain  the  attention  of  the  crowd  to 


92 


LIFE  OF 


rectify  the  mistake.  His  efforts  were  all  in  vain. 
All  were  so  interested  in  hearing  or  talking  to  each 
other  that  after  several  attempts  he  was  obliged  to 
give  up  in  despair.  At  this  juncture,  Shaw  got  up 
on  one  of  the  seats  and  began  to  sing.  All  in  the 
house  soon  had  their  attention  attracted  to  the 
Singer;  those  who  had  gone  out  came  back  to  listen 
to  the  song,  and  long  before  he  closed  the  silence 
was  almost  breathless,  so  charmed  were  all  with  the 
singer  and  song.  When  he  ceased  he  called  out, 
now,  Mr.  Chairman,  you  can  make  your  announce- 
ment. He  did  so,  and  Shaw  was  at  once  the  best 
known  man  at  the  convention. 

He  was  not  devoid  of  humor,  as  the  following 
incidents  will  show.  At  one  of  his  morning  meet- 
ings, he  had  for  his  subject  "The  Shepherd  and  the 
Sheep."  He  said  the  most  important  thing  in  feed, 
ing  sheep  was  to  put  something  in  the  trough ;  that 
sheep  would  not  come  back  more  than  twenty  or 
thirty  times  when  they  did  not  get  any  thing  to  eat; 
that  the  food,  too,  must  be  something  that  they 
would  eat;  that  they  would  not  come  back  many 
times  if  they  found  nothing  but  shavings  in  the 
trough ;  and  that  if  the  shepherd  stood  by  and  gave 
them  a  whack  over  the  head  with  a  club  they  would 
not  be  likely  to  come  back  very  often.  Now  it  hap- 
pened that  very  morning  he  had  been  quite  impa- 
tient with  some  of  the  sisters  at  rehearsal  about  the 
singing,  and  had  scolded  them  severely.  He  went  to 
dinner  with  one  of  them,  and  while  eating,  she  said: 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


93 


Brother  Shaw,  you  don't  practice  what  you 
preach  ?" 

"  How  so,"  said  he. 

"Why,"  she  repHed,  **you  said  you  must  not 
whack  the  sheep  on  the  head  with  a  club  when  they 
come  up  to  be  fed,  and  you  scolded  us  so  this  morn- 
ing about  the  singing." 

**Oh,"  said  he,  "I  was  not  feeding  you  then;  I 
was  teaching  you  to  bleat,  and  you  have  to  whack 
the  sheep  to  make  them  bleats 

While  on  his  way  to  attend  the  State  Meeting  at 
Emporia,  Kansas,  his  attention  was  called  to  a  man 
in  the  same  car,  who  was  utterly  disgusted  with  the 
West,  and  with  Kansas  in  particular ;  abusing  the 
country  and  people  in  unmeasured  terms;  saying 
that  the  society  was  made  up  of  the  very  scum  of 
the  Eastern  States.  Shaw  bore  it  all  for  awhile,  but 
at  last,  as  if  agreeing  with  him,  said  in  a  tone  loud 
enough  to  attract  attention  : 

"Stranger,  you  have  told  the  truth  this  time;  I 
have  traveled  all  over  Kansas,  and  I  find  it  peopled, 
as  you  say,  with  the  very  scum  of  Eastern  society; 
but  it  is  the  kind  of  scum  that  rises  on  milky 

A  shout  of  loud  and  long-continued  laughter  from 
all  the  passengers  told  that  the  arrow  had  reached 
its  mark,  and  Kansas  was  vindicated. 


94 


LIFE  OF 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


Sketches  of  Sroeral  Sermons — "//  is  I;  be  not  Afraid^^ — 
Pearl  of  Great  Price  —  Deceitfulness  of  Sin  —  Smooth 
Things — Good  Works — Triumphs  of  the  Gospel. 

No  one  could  expect  that  Brother  Shaw  could  pro- 
duce sermons  that  would  be  models  in  point  of  taste 
and  literary  excellence.  His  lack  of  opportunity  for 
self-improvement  would  forbid  this.  And  yet  there 
was  a  certain  something  about  them  that  attracted 
attention,  and  produced  results  far  beyond  those 
growing  out  of  sermons  of  closer  thought  and  greater 
poHsh. 

There  was  in  them  much  adapted  to  the  popular 
mind;  they  were  full  of  plain,  striking  illustrations; 
and  descriptions  at  times  dramatic,  as  if  he  saw  what 
he  described;  and,  above  all,  full  to  overflowing  of 
Bible  facts  and  incidents. 

On  one  occasion  he  took  for  his  theme  the  words 
of  Jesus  to  his  disciples,  "It  is  I;  be  not  afraid." 
As  introductory,  he  gave  in  simple,  yet  striking  lan- 
guage a  description  of  the  night  scene  on  Galilee, 
when  the  Master  came  walking  over  the  troubled 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


95 


sea  to  the  aid  of  his  toiling  and  weary  followers. 
Their  terror,  his  words  of  cheer,  the  stilling  of  the 
adverse  wind,  and  the  gladness  of  their  hearts  at 
the  sudden  and  needed  help,  were  well  told,  and  the 
attention  of  his  hearers  enlisted  by  the  story  of  a 
night  on  the  deep.  He  then  asked,  Who  is  this, 
who  says,  "It  is  I?"  and  answered  as  follows: 

''His  social  position  was  a  lowly  one,  shown  by  his 
birth  in  the  stable  at  Bethlehem,  his  home  at  Nazareth, 
his  humble  occupation,  his  extreme  poverty,  his  lack  of 
education,  and  having  as  his  chief  associates  the  poor. 
Moreover,  he  was  not  recognized  to  any  great  extent  by 
the  rich,  had  no  countenance  from  the  civil  authorities,  no 
sanction  from  the  prevailing  religion,  no  men  of  note  to 
aid  him  in  his  enterprise;  his  earthly  career  was  short;  he 
died  young.  Was  he  nothing  but  what  he  seemed  to  be? 
Look  at  his  wisdom!  Whence  came  it?  His  power! 
Whence  derived?  What  think  ye  of  Christ ?  Who  is  this 
Jesus?  Ask  the  lily,  the  sparrow,  the  sea!  Ask  that  out- 
stretched arm  once  palsied  and  withered  !  Ask  that  widow's 
son,  raised  by  his  word!  Ask  that  judge,  Pilate!  Ask 
Death  !  Angels  !  God !  Your  own  soul !  If  man  only, 
why  not  another  like  him  !  Whose  word  so  potent  as  his  ? 
Eighteen  hundred  years  since  he  said"' Go,'  and  thousands 
now,  in  obedience  to  that  command  are  going,  to  tell  dieir 
fellows  of  his  mercy  and  love.  This  Jesus  gives  us  a  com- 
mand, an  exhortation  to  courage,  'Be  not  afraid.'  Not 
afraid  to  beheve  him,  confess  him,  trust  him,  obey  him. 
Be  not  afraid  to  do  what  he  bids  you — to  live  as  he 
requires.  Courage  is  needed  by  all;  by  preachers,  to 
declare  all  the  counsel  of  God;  by  those  who  are  not,  to 
faithfully  discharge  duty.  There  is  too  much  timidity;  too 
many  fearful  and  unbelieving;  too  many  spiritual  doll- 
babies.  We  need  soldiers,  fighting  men,  who  won't  run 
when  the  devil  howls.  We  must  not  be  afraid  to  be  honest, 
to  disgorge  ill-gotten  gain,  not  be  afraid  to  be  industrious; 


96 


LIFE  OF 


to  lay  worldliness  aside,  to  bid  pride  be  gone !  Not  be 
afraid  to  work ;  not  be  too  fearful  to  hope ;  not  afraid  to 
pray ;  not  afraid  to  die. " 

''One  Pearl  of  Great  Price"  was  the  theme  of 
another  discourse,  treated  in  the  following  style : 

''Our  Savior's  discourses  were  adorned  with  gems  of 
the  mine,  pearls  from  the  ocean,  or  the  lilies  of  the  field; 
to  impress  his  hearers  with  the  simplicity,  beauty,  gran- 
deur, and  glory  of  his  kingdom.  All  this  preciousness  of 
the  gospel  is  derived  from  Christ,  its  author.  The  recep- 
tion of  Christ  is  the  reception  of  his  kingdom.  He  who 
possesses  Christ  is  the  owner  of  the  most  priceless  pearl. 
Christ  stands  alone,  superior  to  all  earth's  sovereigns.  He 
is  the  'one  Lord,'  'one  Mediator,'  'one  altogether  lovely,' 
'the  one  Foundation,'  'the  Way,'  'the  Truth,  'the  Life.' 
'  the  only  name  under  heaven  by  which  we  can  be  saved.' 
Pearls  are  precious ;  Peter  calls  faith  precious.  Think  of 
the  preciousness  of  Christ,  upon  wdiom  that  faith  reposes. 
Precious  to  the  sinner,  as  his  only  Savior ;  precious  to  the 
Christian,  as  the  only  Mediator  and  High  Priest;  precious 
to  the  sick,  as  the  only  Physician;  precious  to  the  con- 
demned, he  only  can  pardon ;  precious  to  the  dying,  the 
only  hope  of  eternal  life.  He  will  be  precious  to  the 
saved,  as  the  theme  of  ceaseless  praise.  This  pearl  has 
a  price ;  it  costs  diligent  search ;  '  Seek  ye  the  Lord  while 
he  may  be  found ;'  '  Seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and , 
his  righteousness.'  There  must  be  a  desire;  we  only  seek 
that  which  we  desire.  There  must  be  earnestness,  '  Strive 
to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate'  is  only  another  form  of 
expression  for  seeking  this  pearl.  The  directions  how  to 
seek  Christ  are  given  in  the  gospel.  Seek  him  by  faith, 
by  repentance,  by  confession ;  accept  his  offered  grace  in 
baptism.  But  there  are  those  who  have  found  where  the 
pearl  is,  and  will  not  buy,  because  it  costs  more  than  the 
mere  seeking.  After  it  was  found,  '  he  sold  all '  and  pur- 
chased. This  selling  all  is  not  pleasant.  Some  do  not 
like  to  give  up  the  gratification  of  appetite,  the  pleasures  of 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


97 


the  world,  their  worldly  companions,  their  sinful  practices. 
But  we  must  '  sell  out '  before  we  can  buy  this  pearl. 
The  price  is  not  gold  or  silver.  We  may  get  it  by  sacrifice, 
self-denial,  obedience— our  wills  must  yield  to  Christ's. 
Finding  Christ,  we  have  all  we  need ;  teaching,  pardon, 
peace,  eternal  life  at  last.  Why,  then,  hoard  up  trash, 
when  this  goodly  pearl  may  be  yours  ?  What  honor  have 
they  who  have  bought  this  pearl !  Children  of  God ! 
Heirs  of  heaven !  —of  joys  that  never  end !  Dear  sin- 
ner, choose  this  priceless  pearl ;  make  not  the  wretched 
choice  of  eternal  poverty.  Give  up  —give  up  all  for 
Christ,  and  make  the  best  bargain  you  ever  have,  or  ever 
can  make." 

On  the  "  Deceitfulness  of  Sin,"  Hebrews  iii.  13, 
he  indulges  in  the  following  strain  : 

*'Sin  caused  the  fall  of  angels,  ruined  the  world, 
robbed  heaven,  peopled  hell.  It  deceives  by  giving  false 
names  to  things;  as  spirit,  to  malice,  passion,  and  revenge. 
It  calls  pride,  true  dignity;  prodigality,  generosity;  and 
slander,  merely  openness  of  speech.  Covetousness,  is  only 
prudence  and  saving;  while  drunkenness  and  reveling, 
are  sociality.  Even  gambling,  is  either  business  or  specu- 
lation, and  a  whisky-shop  a  saloon  or  coffee-house.  The 
sinner  is  deceived  when  he  pleads  '  natural  desire '  as  an 
excuse  for  evil-doing,  or  'want  of  ability'  for  failing  to  do 
right;  and  equally  so,  when  he  claims  'others  do  so,'  so 
may  I.  He  is  deceived  when  he  makes  good  resolutions, 
only  to  break  them,  or  brings  up  some  good  traits  of  char- 
acter as  an  offset  to  his  sins ;  deceived  when  he  yields  to 
temptation  under  the  pledge  to  repent  to-morrow,  to  do 
better  by  and  by.  Sin  deceived  the  angels,  who  kept  not 
their  first  estate;  deceived  our  first  parents,  and  will,  if 
allowed,  deceive  us  all.  Sin  hardens,  as  well  as  deceives. 
To  God's  threatenings  against  sin  it  says,  'God  can't  be 
so  cruel.'  It  leads  to  rebellion  against  his  right  com- 
mands, to  distrust  of  his  promises;  hardens  against  his 
providences;  prosperity,  calls  forth  no  gratitude,  sickness, 

7 


98 


LIFE  OF 


no  humility.  It  hardens  us  against  the  strivings  of  the 
Spirit,  till  the  Spirit  is  grieved,  quenched  till  we  are  lost. 
The  remedy  is  to  'exhort  one  another,'  This  sliould  be 
constant,  '  daily,'  as  we  are  daily  in  danger.  We  should 
ever  look  to  Christ's  teaching  and  example.  Let  us  not 
deceive  ourselves,  *  If  a  man  seem  to  be  religious,  and 
bridleth  not  his  tongue,  but  deceiveth  his  own  heart,  this 
man's  religion  is  vain.'    (James  i.  26.)" 

Compressed  within  the  limits  of  half  a  sheet  of 
paper,  I  find  the  following,  which  is  lacking  in 
neither  arrangement  nor  force  : 

"Speak  unto  us  smooth  things."    (Isaiah  xxx.  10.) 

"It  is  unaccountable  that  intelligent  beings  should 
become  so  infatuated  as  to  prefer  deceit  to  sincerity, 
falsehood  to  truth;  and  that,  too,  in  reference  to  the  most 
important  of  all  subjects. 

''i.  What  is  it  to  speak  smooth  things? 

**2.  Why  people  desire  it. 

''3.  Its  final  results  to  speaker  and  hearer. 

''a.  Not  to  be  confounded  with  speaking  kindly  or  affec- 
tionately, /a  Nor  a  prudent  presentation  of  truth,  so  as  to 
avoid  offense,  c.  Nor  an  appeal  to  candor  and  generosity, 
as  Paul  to  Agrippa. 

''To  speak  smooth  things  is  not  necessarily  to  teach 
error,  nor  yet  to  adulterate  truth.  Truth  may  be  preached 
in  such  a  way  that  it  will  never  save  a  soul ;  but  it  is,  to 
keep  back  everything  disagreeable  to  the  hearers. 

"  ist.  It  is  to  avoid  a  too  searching  process  with  the  con- 
sciences of  men.  Not  to  offend  the  covetous  by  speaking 
against  worldliness.  Not  to  offend  the  pleasure-taker  by 
showing  its  incompatibility  with  holy  things.  Not  to  offend 
the  formalist  by  urging  a  spiritual  religion.  Not  to  offend 
the  latitudinarian  by  declaring  the  woes  threatened  against 
those  who  preach  another  gospel.  Not  to  mortify  the 
pride  of  the  haughty,  nor  assail  the  vanity  of  the  osten- 
tatious bigot.  Not  to  arouse  the  careless,  nor  alarm  the 
indifferent.    Not  to  humble  the  spirit  of  the  self-righteous, 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


99 


nor  denounce  hypocrisy  and  intemperance,  nor  expose 
the  heartlessness  of  the  selfish. 

"2d.  But  it  is  to  speak  smooth  things;  to  speak  the 
truth  in  such  a  general  way  that  none  present  will  think 
that  they  are  meant,  or  condemned  by  it. 

''3d.  By  neglecting  to  enforce  the  threatenings  of  God's 
word,  and  dwelling  only  on  the  sunny  side. 

**Balak  wanted  just  such  a  prophet,  to  gratify  his  malev- 
olence. Ahab  wanted  such  a  prophet,  after  killing  Naboth. 
Herod  and  his  unlawful  wife  wanted  such  a  preacher. 
The  Jews  would  never  have  rejected  Christ,  if  he  had 
preached  only  what  they  wanted  to  hear,  and  Stephen 
might  have  escaped  martyrdom  had  he  spoken  smooth 
things.  Why  do  people  desire  such  preaching  ?  Because 
it  suits  a  corrupt  heart  and  life.  Because  it  effects  an 
agreeable  compromise  with  a  sorf  of  religion  and  their 
sins.  The  results  of  such  preaching  are :  It  grieves  the 
Spirit  of  God;  is  opposed  to  the  conduct  of  God's  peo- 
ple in  all  ages;  condemns  Moses  for  his  course  toward 
Pharaoh;  Nathan  for  reproving  David;  condemns  the 
course  of  John  the  Baptist  to  Herod;  Noah  for  warning  a 
guilty  world,  and  Paul  for  his  faithful  preaching  to  Felix. 
It  brings  ruin  to  the  souls  of  preacher  and  people." 

He  used  great  plainness  of  speech,  of  which  the 
following,  on  "The  Necessity  of  Good  Works,"  is 
an  example  : 

"Nothing  should  deter  the  minister  from  declaring  'the 
whole  counsel  of  God.'  Is  'The  Righteousness  of  Christ' 
his  theme?  Let  him  set  it  forth,  abating  nothing;  mod- 
ifying nothing,  to  suit  the  world.  Let  us  tell  the  sinner 
what  he  must  do  to  be  saved ;  tell  it  all.  I  do  not  believe 
God  could  have  saved  the  world  without  Christ's  death. 
Had  there  been  any  other  way,  God  surely  would  have 
'  spared  his  Son.'  God  applies  the  exact  amount  of  power 
to  accomplish  his  object;  no  more.  He  wastes  nothing ; 
there  is  no  superfluity.  Let  us,  then,  preach  the  death  of 
Christ  as  a  necessity;  heaven,  hell,  sin,  and  righteousness, 


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LIFE  OF 


as  the  most  solemn  realities.  If  'good  itwrks'  is  our  theme, 
we  should  speak  out  plainly ;  specifying  the  good  for  the 
encouragement  of  Christians,  and  reproving  the  evil  with 
plainness ;  fearing  no  one ;  asking  favors  of  no  one,  but 
'  cry  aloud  and  spare  not '  reprove,  rebuke,  exhort,  with 
all  long-suffering  and  doctrine.'  Man  is  not  wiser  than 
God;  we  can  not  improve  the  'first  principles;'  nor  dare 
we  swerve  from  the  rest.  It  takes  '  good  works '  as  well 
as  good  faith,  good  repentance,  a  good  confession,  a 
good  baptism,  to  save  man,  here  and  hereafter. 

"  Good  works  occupy  an  important  place  in  the  divine 
plan ;  they  are  the  evidences  of  our  acceptance,  and  the 
proof  of  our  love :  *  If  ye  love  me,  keep  my  command- 
ments.' They  are  not  the  atonement,  yet  they  do  please 
God,  and  they  will  receive  a  recompense  in  heaven. 

"There  are  many  profidess  works.  There  are  many 
wicked  works,  which  are  injurious  to  both  ourselves  and 
our  fellow  men.  There  are  works  dishonoring  to  God; 
but  Paul  says,  'Be  careful  to  maintain  good  works.''  If 
we  do  these,  'we  shall  reap,  if  we  faint  not.'  No  labor 
done  for  Christ  will  be  unrewarded.  The  shame  we  have 
for  him  is  honor.  Every  tear,  a  pearl  in  glory's  crown. 
The  poorer  we  become  for  Christ,  the  richer  our  eternal 
reward,  and  of  all  the  saints  in  heaven  they  shall  shine 
brightest,  and  sing  loudest,  and  enter  into  the  fullest 
joy,  whose  lives  have  most  resembled  his.  He  was  un- 
selfish. He  came,  not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but  to  min- 
ister. His  whole  life,  his  tears,  his  sorrows,  his  awful 
death,  all  verified  his  earliest  saying,  at  twelve  years  old, 
'  I  must  be  about  my  Father's  business,'  and  because  he 
obeyed,  '  God  hath  highly  exalted  him,  and  given  him  a 
name  that  is  above  every  name.'  Hear  the  voice  of  the 
Spirit  to  John  on  Patmos,  '  Write — Blessed  are  the  dead 
that  die  in  the  Lord;  they  rest  from  their  labors,  and  their 
works  do  follow  them.'  With  what  feelings  did  Paul 
approach  the  place  of  execution  and  Stephen  close  his 
earthly  career  ?  And  may  we  not  imagine  Luther,  Tyn- 
dale,  Wesley,  Campbell,  or  the  founder  of  Sunday-schools 
looking  back  upon  their  work,  or  listening  to  angels  telling 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


lOI 


of  the  millions  blessed  by  their  labors.  These  were  brill- 
iant stars;  but  all  may  work  for  Christ.  The  mother 
who  trains  her  child  for  God ;  the  widow  who  casts  in 
her  mite  to  aid  in  any  good  work — all  who  are  trying  to 
do  good;  to  relieve  distress,  to  help  the  helpless,  to  heal 
the  wounded  heart,  to  bring  a  soul  to  Jesus,  to  restore  a 
backslider,  are  engaged  in  works  which  shall  follow  them 
through  the  vale  of  death,  and  they  shall  not  fail  of  their 
reward.  Even  the  cup  of  cold  water,  given  in  the  name 
of  a  disciple,  shall  not  be  forgotten  in  the  final  day.  Yes, 
good  works  will  be  remembered  and  mentioned  at  the  last 
day.  Then  shall  the  King  say  unto  them  on  his  right 
hand,  *  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  king- 
dom prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world : 
for  I  was  a  hungered,  and  ye  gave  me  meat :  I  was  thirsty, 
and  ye  gave  me  drink :  I  was  a  stranger,  and  ye  took  me 
in :  naked,  and  ye  clothed  me :  I  was  sick,  and  ye  visited 
me:  I  was  in  prison,  and  ye  came  unto  me.'  The  value 
of  all  our  works  will  be  determined  by  this  simple  test : 
'Will  they  follow  us?'  'Will  they  go  with  us?'  By  our 
works  we  are  to  be  judged,  and  rewarded  according  to 
them.  Only  what  we  can  carry  with  us  will  be  of  real 
value  to  us — houses,  lands,  money,  titles;  of  all  these 
death  strips  us ;  but  '  blessed  are  they  that  do  his  com- 
mandments.' God  writes  our  good  works  in  a  book;  a 
book  of  remembrance  is  kept ;  and  though  man  may  have 
forgotten,  God  never  does.  The  '  faithful  servant '  fears 
not  death.  Should  the  Christian  fear  to  die  ?  Paul  did 
not.  No  pilgrim  was  ever  more  anxious  for  home;  no 
laborer  for  rest;  no  tempest-tossed  mariner  for  the  harbor; 
no  soldier  even  more  anxious  for  his  crown,  than  was  he 
to  depart  and  be  with  Christ.  See  him  comforting  his 
weeping  friends  as  they  gather  round  him  for  the  last 
time  ;  one  glimpse  of  Christ  and  heaven  has  taken  all  fear 
away.  He  speaks:  I  am  ready — ready  to  be  offered  ;  wel- 
come death;  welcome  the  company  of  angels;  welcome 
the  heavenly  Jerusalem.  Death  is  swallowed  up  in  vic- 
tory ;  farewell.  '  Be  steadfast,  and  unmovable,  always 
abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  forasmuch  as  ye 
know  that  your  labor  is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord.'" 


102 


LIFE  OF 


On  the  "  Triumphs  of  the  Gospel"  (2  Corin- 
tians  ii.  14),  he  leaves  the  following  thoughts: 

"  'Thanks  be  to  God  who  always  causeth  us  to  triumph 
in  Christ.'  Evidently  allusion  here  is  made  to  the  great 
triumphal  entries  of  heroes  into  their  own  chief  cities 
after  achieving  great  victories.  Paul  had  his  triumphs 
too,  and  breaks  forth  in  the  language  of  the  text.  Many 
say  the  gospel  has  done  but  little.  Now,  triumph  implies 
conflict,  and  also  a  successful  termination.  By  the  preach- 
ing of  the  gospel  a  triumph  was  gained  over  Jewish  preju- 
dice. They  had  a  grand  system,  and  loved,  nay,  they 
had  an  idolatrous  veneration  for  it.  Abraham  was  the 
father  of  their  nation,  Moses  their  great  lawgiver  and 
leader,  Samuel  and  Isaiah  their  prophets,  David  and  Sol- 
omon their  kings,  and  they  looked  for  the  Messiah  to 
reign  in  splendor  over  them.  Thousands  were  conquered 
and  became  the  humble  disciples  of  Christ.  The  gospel 
triumphed  over  various  forms  of  Paganism.  The  Gentile 
world  had  its  systems  of  philosophy,  venerable  and  an- 
cient, but  over  these  the  gospel  triumphed.  At  Ephesus 
a  great  host  were  rescued  from  the  false  worship  of  Diana. 
In  Athens,  crowded  with  altais,  the  gospel  gained  a  glo- 
rious victory.  In  Corinth,  another  great  triumph.  At 
Antioch,  and  even  at  Rome,  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ 
was  founded  by  the  complete  triumph  of  the  gospel;  in 
all  these  places  men  were  turned  from  dumb  idols  to  serve 
the  true  God.  What  victories  were  these !  No  wonder 
that  Paul  exulted,  and  broke  out  in  the  noble  words, 
'Thanks  be  unto  God  who  always  causeth  us  to  triumph 
in  Christ.' 

*'The  gospel  triumphed  over  the  corruptions  of  man- 
kind, over  vices  horribly  disgusting,  and  unblushingly 
practiced.  If  grand  to  triumph  over  the  darkness  of 
heathen  idolatry  and  Jewish  prejudice,  it  was  certainly 
glorious  to  triumph  over  the  corruptions  of  heart  and  life, 
as  did  the  gospel  over  the  vileness  and  impurity  which 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


103 


everywhere  prevailed.  The  gospel  made  men  trium.ph 
over  self  and  the  world.  Those  who  yielded  to  it,  had  to 
do  more  than  change  their  religion  or  alter  their  creed. 
They  had  to  put  the  law  to  defiance,  expose  themselves  to 
persecutions,  confiscations,  imprisonment,  death.  They 
had  to  forsake  all  for  Christ.  Yet  all  these  trials  did  not 
hinder  the  triumphs  of  the  cross.  Contrast  these  triumphs 
with  the  victories  of  earth's  greatest  warriors — the  cruel 
ambitious  heroes  with  the  humble  apostles.  Pride,  lust, 
cruelty  on  one  side;  meekness,  virtue,  and  good-will  to 
man  on  the  other.  The  warrior  can  be  traced  in  his  work 
of  woe  by  footsteps  of  blood,  the  groans  of  the  wounded, 
and  the  graves  of  the  slain ;  by  the  desolation  of  the 
country,  the  sacked  cities,  and  burning  dwellings,  by 
frenzied  widows  and  wailing  orphans,  and  the  field  of 
battle  over  which  the  vulture  hovers  or  the  wild  beast 
seeks  his  prey. 

"The  triumphs  of  the  gospel  are  succeeded  by  the  sun- 
shine of  peace;  men  are  elevated,  sanctified,  and  the 
blessings  of  heaven  are  brought  to  earth.  The  gospel 
now  triumphs  at  home  and  abroad,  wherever  it  is  preached 
and  lived  faithfully.  To  these  triumphs  you  owe  your 
respectability  and  position  in  life,  and  woman  is  indebted 
to  the  gospel  for  her  position  as  man's  equal.  To  extend 
these  victories  should  be  the  prayer  and  labor  of  all. 

"Sinner,  let  this  gospel  shine  into  your  heart  to-day, 
enlist  and  help  to  gain  these  victories,  and  share  in  the 
reunion  on  the  other  shore." 

The  above  sketches  are  but  very  faint  and  meager 
outlines  of  some  of  Brother  Shaw's  sermons,  and 
yet  there  is  enough  in  them  to  correct  an  opinion 
which  prevails  among  many  who  have  never  had 
the  opportunity  of  hearing  him.  There  is  nothing 
in  them  to  warrant  the  idea  that  he  was  light,  super- 
ficial and  sensational;  that  his  sermons  were  chaffy, 


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LIFE  OF 


with  far  more  human  incident  tnan  gospel  truth 
than  which  no  judgment  could  be  more  unjust. 
Most  of  the  subjects  we  have  noticed  are  treated 
in  a  clear,  impressive,  and  scriptural  manner ;  nearly- 
all  the  illustrations  being  drawn  from  the  Book  of 
God ;  and  the  impression  made  is  that  he  was  famil- 
iar at  least  with  one  Book,  and  that  the  best  of  all 
books  for  him  who  would  teach  his  fellow-man  the 
way  of  life  and  salvation.  Of  course  the  brief  notes 
given  do  not  do  him  justice,  as  they  are  the  merest 
skeletons,  which  he  not  only  clothed  with  flesh,  but 
to  which,  by  his  treatment,  he  imparted  the  breath 
of  life. 

They  show  the  material  with  which  he  builded, 
but  not  the  mansion  he  reared  with  them ;  but  the 
colors  of  the  artist,  and  the  marble  before  it  has  been 
carved  by  the  sculptor's  hand,  would  come  as  far 
short  of  the  finished  picture  and  statue,  as  do  these 
imperfect  notes,  of  the  finished  sermon  delivered 
under  the  inspiration  of  a  warm  heart  and  a  crowd 
of  interested  hearers.  They  are  but  the  seeds,  of 
which  the  sermons  growing  out  of  them  were  the 
ripened  fruit.  Indeed,  I  feel  there  is  nothing  in  the 
book  that  will  give  the  reader  a  better  idea  of  the 
working  of  his  mind,  and  his  mode  of  thinking,  than 
these  notes,  brief  and  imperfect  though  they  be. 


KNOWLES  SHAW.  IO5 


CHAPTER  IX. 


Domestic  Life — Death  of  His  Daughter — Her  Dying  Words — 
His  Dream — Musical  Talent — Musical  Publications — Esti- 
mate of  His  Musical  Powers — Bringing  i7i  the  Siieaves." 

Little  has  been  said  of  Brother  Shaw's  private 
and  domestic  Hfe.  The  reason  of  this  is  obvious ; 
he  belonged  to  the  pubhc ;  he  Hved  not  for  himself, 
but  for  others.  He  was  a  devoted  husband  and  a 
fond  father,  and  yet  so  numerous  and  pressing  were 
the  calls  for  his  services  that  he  was  almost  constantly 
away  from  home.  The  short  intervals  between  his 
meetings,  which  he  was  permitted  to  spend  with  his 
family,  were  highly  enjoyed  and  greatly  prized ;  and 
one  of  the  greatest  trials  of  his  life  was  that  of 
absence  from  those  he  loved. 

He  was  the  father  of  five  children :  Georgie  Anna, 
born  in  Rush  County,  Indiana,  January  3,  1856; 
Mary  Elizabeth,  born  in  Rush  County,  Indiana, 
October  31,  1858 ;  John  Albin,  born  in  Rush  County, 
Indiana,  February  18,  1862;  Carey  ,  W.,  born  at 
Edinburgh,  Indiana,  February  26,  1864;  and  Knowles 
Shaw,  jr.,  born  at  Lebanon,  Ohio,  February  14,  1869. 
The  last  two  died  in  early  infancy ;  the  former  on 


io6 


LIFE  OF 


the  25tli  of  July,  1865;  the  latter  on  the  13th  of 
August,  1869;  both  at  Lebanon,  Ohio.  His  eldest 
daughter,  Georgie  Anna,  when  nearly  fourteen  years 
of  age,  was  taken  dangerously  ill,  while  her  father 
was  engaged  in  a  very  interesting  and  successful 
meeting  at  Wellsburgh,  West  Virginia.  Her  con- 
dition became  alarming,  and  her  father  was  sum- 
moned home ;  and  a  few  days  after  his  return,  she 
calmly  closed  her  eyes  in  hope  and  trust,  on  the 
29th  of  December,  1869;  to  open  them,  doubtless, 
in  the  presence  of  Him  to  whom  she  had  given  her 
heart  in  holy  obedience. 

Bitter  as  was  this  trial  to  the  father's  heart,  the 
meekness  and  trust  of  the  young  sufferer  did  much 
to  mitigate  his  grief  But  a  short  time  before  she 
breathed  her  last,  while  on  the  very  borders  of  the 
deathless  land,  she  exclaimed,  "Look,  dear  father, 
see  the  angels,"  and,  who  can  doubt,  soon  joined 
that  company.  Brother  L.  F.  Bittle  composed  the 
following  touching  verses  upon  these  her  dying 
words,  and  w^e  feel  that  no  apology  is  needed  for 
giving  them  to  the  reader: 

"Look,  dear  father,  see  the  angels, 

As  around  me  now  they  glide! 
They  have  come,  I  know,  to  guide  me 

Thro'  the  Jordan's  rolling  tide: 
See  you  not  their  golden  tresses, 

And  their  trailing  robes  of  snow? 
Hear  you  not  their  rustling  pinions, 

And  their  voices  sweet  and  low? 

Chorus. 

•'Oh,  the  angels!  blessed  angels! 
Lovely  as  the  morning  star! 


KNOWLES  SHAW.  lO/ 

They  have  come,  I  know,  to  lead  me 
To  the  land  that  lies  afar. 

**  I  can  see  them  bending  o'er  me, 

Feel  them  touch  my  pallid  brow, 
As  the  border  land  I  enter, 

And  at  Jordan's  brink  I  bow. 
Soon  they'll  lead  me  to  my  Savior, 

Soon  I'll  clasp  his  loving  hand  ; 
Then,  from  every  care  and  sorrow. 

Safe  I'll  rest  in  Canaan's  land. 

<'Fare  you  well,  dear  father,  mother! 

When  I  reach  the  sinless  shore, 
I  will  watch  beside  the  river, 

Till  the  angels  bring  you  o'er: 
I  will  be  the  first  to  greet  you. 

When  you  touch  the  blooming  strand ; 
I  will  be  the  first  to  welcome, 

When  you  gain  the  heavenly  land." 

Two  of  his  children  died  in  the  same  year ;  all 
three  within  about  four  years.  These  bereavements 
did  much  in  drawing  his  thoughts  upward  to  the 
dweUing-place  of  his  dear  ones,  and  many  of  his 
-  songs  owe  much  of  their  tenderness  and  pathos  to 
the  fact  that  his  children  had  become  dwellers  in 
that  land  of  whose  glories  he  loved  to  sing.  No  one 
now  can  read  his  Lambs  of  the  Upper  Fold,"  or 
''My  Beautiful  Dream,"  without  feeling  that  his 
own  dear  ones,  safely  folded  in  the  arms  of  the  Good 
Shepherd,  gave  the  key-note  to  these  songs.  Several 
years  after  he  had  laid  away  in  the  grave  these  dear 
household  treasures,  while  absent  from  home,  hold- 
ing a  meeting  in  Louisiana,  Missouri,  he  had  a  dream 
one  night  which  made  a  deep  impression  upon  him. 
He  wrote  it  down  the  next  morning.  It  was  as 
follows : 


LIFE  OF 


**I  dreamed  that  I  slept  the  long  night  of  the  tomb, 
Then  awoke  from  its  slumber,  arose  from  its  gloom; 
That  I  wandered  o'er  fields  in  ecstatic  delight, 
In  regions  of  bliss  w^here  there  cometh  no  night. 
By  rivers  of  waters,  so  bright  and  so  clear, 
Enchanted  by  music  which  fell  on  my  ear  ; 
'Mid  breezes  that  wafted  its  melody  long. 
While  angels  were  singing  their  heavenly  song  : 
Where  flowers  were  blooming  that  never  shall  die, 
Whose  perfume  was  wafted  by  breezes  on  high. 
That  land  v/as  so  lovely :  no  sickness  was  there ; 
No  tears,  no  temptations,  no  sorrow,  no  care  ; 
No  parting,  no  dying,  no  mourning  was  heard ; 
No  murmurs,  complaining;  there  never  a  word 
That  could  mar  the  enjoyments  of  that  happy  land, 
Where  dwelt  in  their  beauty  God's  purified  band. 
There  we  met  on  that  shore,  my  dear  loving  wife ; 
Yes,  we  met  in  that  realm  all  so  buoyant  with  life : 
Thy  cheeks  were  not  faded,  thine  eyes  were  not  dim : 
There  we  joined  in  the  worship  and  praises  of  Him 
Who  guarded  our  pathway  while  journeying  below, 
To  crown  us  with  blessings,  all  good  to  bestow ; 
There  songs  with  the  ransomed  thy  voice  joined  to  sing, 
As  all  shouted  praises  to  Jesus  our  King. 
We  wandered  o'er  pavements  of  purest  of  gold, 
By  walls  of  rich  jasper,  of  beauty  untold; 
And  the  gates  of  the  city  were  loveliest  pearl. 
Where  war's  bloody  banner  could  never  unfurl. 
We  talked  of  our  journey,  our  joys  and  our  woes, 
As  we  sat  where  the  great  tree  of  life  ever  grows ; 
And  there  gathered  around  us  our  babes  gone  before, 
And  we  fondly  caressed  them  as  in  days  of  yore. 
No  partings  were  mentioned,  no  sorrows,  no  tears, 
Through  all  the  long,  happy,  unnumbered  sweet  years. 
Our  pilgrimage  ended,  at  home  with  the  blest. 
For  all  our  toils  here,  an  eternal  sweet  rest. 
After  life's  stormy  voyage,  a  haven  of  peace. 
After  all  our  hard  battles,  a  happy  release ; 
After  tears  and  temptations,  a  world  of  delight, 
After  life's  bitter  crosses,  a  crown  sparkling  bright. 
With  our  children  around  us,  though  parted  so  long, 
All  singing  sweet  anthems  of  glory  and  song — 
The  sorrows  of  earth  all  over  and  past. 
And  heaven  we  longed  for  was  welcomed  at  last. 
*  *  *  *  ♦ 

Oh,  dearest,  if  such  be  the  joy  of  a  dream, 
That  only  can  teach  us  of  things  as  they  seem. 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


109 


What  must  the  reality  be  to  our  souls, 

As  the  age  of  bright  glory  eternally  rolls." 

This  seems  the  most  appropriate  place  to  say 
something  with  regard  to  his  musical  powers,  which 
on  all  hands  are  admitted  to  have  been  wonderful. 
No  description  can  do  him  anything  like  justice  in 
this  respect.  A  power  that  moved  multitudes,  as 
the  ocean  is  moved  when  storm-swept,  and  soothed 
hearts  when  agitated  into  deep  tranquillity,  must  be 
experienced  in  order  to  be  understood ;  the  pen  is 
as  powerless  to  set  forth  the  power  of  his  song  as  it 
would  be  to  bring  before  the  reader  the  varied  play 
of  his  features,  the  passing  shade  of  sadness,  or  the 
light  of  his  smile. 

He  was  as  a  singer,  beyond  all  doubt,  fully  the 
peer  of  Sankey  and  Bliss.  By  many  who  have  heard 
them,  he  was  deemed  superior  in  some  respects  to 
both.  Neither  ever  stirred  hearts  more  deeply  than 
he ;  and  we  judge  that  the  true  test  of  the  singer  is  to 
be  found  in  the  ability  to  move  and  melt  the  heart. 
Pages  might  be  written  with  regard  to  his  power 
over  individuals  and  large  assemblies  by  his  singing. 
A  single  instance  must  suffice. 

During  his  last  meeting  at  Dallas,  Texas,  Elder 
Caskey,  a  man  of  great  power  and  a  natural  orator, 
made  Shaw  his  study,  and  hence,  though  not  in  a 
censorious,  was  in  a  critical  mood ;  a  state  of  mind 
not  favorable  to  deep  feeling  or  emotion.  He  came 
in  to  one  of  Shaw's  morning  meetings,  and  found 
him  at  the  organ  singing  a  song.    He  took  a  seat 


no 


LIFE  OF 


behind  the  singer,  who  was  not  aware  of  his  pres- 
ence, and  soon  after  Shaw,  sang  the  "Old  Man's 
Dream."  Before  he  was  half  done,  Caskey  was  weep- 
ing. The  next  morning  Caskey  was  present  again, 
and  Shaw  asked  him  to  come  and  sit  in  front  of  him. 

"No,"  said  Caskey,  "you  shall  not  make  me  cry 
again ;  you  opened  a  fountain  yesterday  that  has 
been  closed  for  twenty  years.  I  stood  over  the  grave 
of  my  boy  once  more,  and  saw  again  the  wife  of  my 
youth,  and  you  awakened  memories  that  I  thought 
were  put  away  forever,  and  made  me  shed  tears,  a 
thing  I  have  not  done  for  twenty  years  before." 

Reporters  for  the  press,  in  the  various  cities  in 
which  he  labored,  all  agreed  in  representing  his  sing- 
ing as  something  beyond  what  they  had  ever  heard 
before — entire  audiences,  filling  the  largest  public 
halls,  often  being  melted  into  tears.  He  was  a  per- 
fect master  of  the  organ.  His  hearers  would  often 
say,  "He  made  it  talk."  He  played  with  perfect 
abandon^  bringing  down  his  hands  often  upon  the 
keys  without  looking  at  them ;  but  there  was  always 
perfect  harmony.  He  began  to  compose  music  soon 
after  he  began  to  preach ;  and  though  not  entitled  to 
rank  in  that  respect  with  Bradbury  and  Bliss,  yet 
there  are  quite  a  number  of  his  compositions  that 
would  be  no  discredit  to  those  great  masters  of 
^  sacred  song.  His  first  song  was  "The  Shining 
Ones,"  which  is  still  popular.  He  published  at  dif- 
ferent times  five  Sunday-school  singing  books :  ist. 
Shining  Pearls."   2d.  "  Golden  Gate."   3d.  "  Spark- 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


Ill' 


ling  Jewels."  4th.  ''The  Gospel  Trumpet."  5th. 
"The  Morning  Star."  These  all  met  with  a  favor- 
able reception — the  last  still  meeting  with  a  large 
sale. 

J.  H.  Fillmore,  whose  opinion  in  musical  matters 
is  of  deserved  weight,  says  of  Shaw :  He  seemed 
to  have  an  intuition  as  to  the  emotional  properties  of 
musical  sounds,  that  enabled  him  to  weave  them 
together  into  beautiful  and  telling  melodies.  His 
enthusiasm  in  all  he  undertook  commended  it  and 
impressed  it  upon  the  people.  With  the  masses,  as 
a  singer,  he  was  a  favorite ;  and  good  natural  abili- 
ties, poetical  and  musical,  with  enthusiasm,  tell  the 
whole  story  of  his  success."  One  of  his  later  pieces, 
••Bringing  in  the  Sheaves,"  was  dedicated  to  the 
memory  of  A.  D,  Fillmore,  and  has  proved  to  be 
the  most  popular  of  his  songs,  and  gives  promise  of 
living  for  many  years  to  come.  It  was  peculiarly 
appropriate  to  the  memory  of  the  sweet  singer  and 
earnest  preacher  of  the  gospel  to  whose  name  and 
memory  he  linked  it,  and  has  even  a  deeper  signifi- 
cance with  regard  to  himself    We  give  it  below: 

"Sowing  in  the  morning, 

Sowing  seeds  of  kindness; 
Sowing  in  the  noontide, 

And  the  dewy  eves  : 
Waiting  for  the  harvest, 

And  the  time  of  reaping, 
We  shall  come  rejoicing, 

Bringing  in  the  sheaves. 

Chorus. 

**  Bringing  in  the  golden  sheaves, 
Bringing  in  the  golden  sheaves. 


112 


LIFE  OF 


Waiting  for  the  harvest, 

And  the  time  of  reaping, 
"We  shall  come  rejoicing, 

Bringing  in  the  sheaves. 

•'Sowing  in  the  sunshine. 

Sowing  in  the  shadows; 
Fearing  neither  clouds  nor 

Winter's  chilling  breeze; 
By  and  by  the  harvest, 

And  the  labors  ended, 
We  shall  come  rejoicing, 

Bringing  in  the  sheaves. 

**Go,  then,  even  weeping, 

Sowing  for  the  Mastei", 
'Tho'  the  loss  sustained 

Our  spirit  often  grieves; 
When  our  weeping's  over. 

He  will  bid  us  welcome, 
We  shall  come  rejoicing, 

Bringing  in  the  sheaves." 

By  such  strains  as  the  above  he  sang  himself  into 
the  hearts  of  thousands,  and  in  years  to  come  the 
eyes  of  many  will  be  dimmed  with  the  mist  of  tears 
as  they  think  of  the  sad  fate  of  him  whose  songs 
they  still  sing. 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


CHAPTER  X. 


Moody  and  SJiaw  Compared  and  Contrasted— Extracts  from 
the  Sermons  of  Both — Moody's  Ticket  and  Shazu's. 

A  CERTAIN  resemblance  between  Brother  Shaw  and 
the  EvangeHst  Moody  has  doubtless  been  observed 
by  many,  and  in  ability  to  arrest  and  hold  the  atten- 
tion of  multitudes  there  was  no  doubt  a  marked 
similarity.  At  the  same  time,  however,  in  respect 
to  their  teachings,  there  was  a  far  more  distinct  and 
marked  difference.  Moody,  although  a  Calvinist  of 
the  most  pronounced  New  England  type,  always 
brought  into  prominence  the  more  popular  theories 
of  the  various  religious  parties,  and  kept  out  of  sight 
the  conflicting  elements  of  the  different  systems. 
While  sufficiently  Calvinistic  to  reach  those  who  had 
been  brought  up  under  such  teaching,  he  did  not 
carry  it  so  far  as  to  insist  on  the  doctrine  of  partic- 
ular redemption,  or  he  never  could  have  reached  the 
masses,  as  he  has  done ;  and  which  must  be  attrib- 
uted to  his  making  the  impression  that  the  benefits 
of  the  death  of  Christ  might  be  enjoyed,  as  they  were 
freely  offered,  to  all.  This,  of  course,  pleased  those 
8 


IT4 


LIFE  OF 


who  accepted  the  doctrine  of  a  general  atonement; 
but  it  was  always  modified  by  the  thought  that,  in 
order  to  accept  the  atonement,  it  was  necessary  to 
be  made  the  subject  of  a  special  influence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit;  in  this  way,  in  effect,  inserting  the  Cal- 
vinistic  element  into  the  Arminian  view  of  the  atone- 
ment, as  in  the  former  case  he  had  inserted  into 
the  Calvinistic  view  of  the  atonement  the  Arminian 
element. 

Carried  out  to  its  logical  issue,  the  above  method 
virtually  denies  human  responsibility,  by  making  the 
act  of  the  sinner  in  accepting  Christ  to  depend  upon 
a  mental  and  moral  condition  to  be  produced  by  an 
irresistible  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  This  was 
made  manifest  by  one  of  his  hearers,  who,  when 
asked  by  Moody  why  he  had  not  become  a  Chris- 
tian, replied  in  strict  accordance  with  the  teaching 
he  had  heard,  "It  has  not  struck  me  yet."  It  was 
not  by  a  rational,  intelligent  conviction,  but  by  a 
miraculous  and  irresistible  power,  that  he  supposed 
the  change  would  be  effected.  Indeed  Mr.  Moody's 
own  words  are  decisive  upon  this  point.    He  says: 

*'Let  us  go  out  and  bring  all  our  friends  here,  and  if 
there  is  poor  preaching  we  can  bring  down  from  heaven 
the  necessary  blessings  widiout  good  preaching.  In  Phil- 
adelphia a  skeptic  came  in,  just  out  of  curiosity.  He 
wanted  to  see  the  crowd,  and  he  hadn't  more  than  crossed 
the  threshold  of  the  door  before  the  Spirit  of  God  met 
him ;  and  I  asked  him  if  there  was  anything  in  the  sermon 
that  influenced  him,  in  hopes  that  I  was  going  to  get  some- 
thing to  encourage  me;  but  he  could  not  tell  what  the  text 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


was.  I  asked  him  if  it  were  the  singing  ?  but  he  didn't 
know  what  Mr.  Sankey  had  sung.  It  was  the  power  of 
God  alone  that  converted  him ;  and  that  is  what  we  want 
in  these  meetings.  If  Ave  have  this  power,  when  Ave  invite 
our  friends  here  the  Lord  will  meet  them,  and  will  answer 
our  prayers  and  save  them." 

A  critic  quite  friendly  to  Mr.  Moody  says  of  hinn 
that  '*he  dwells  on  what  Christ  has  done  in  words 
which  imply  that  absolutely  nothing  is  left  for  man 
to  do.  In  one  of  his  addresses  we  find  this  sentence, 
in  a  paragraph  whose  whole  tenor  is  to  the  same 
effect,  and  without  qualification:  "The  idea  that  a 
man  can  work  his  way  up  to  heaven  is  damnable." 

Mr.  Moody  is  so  absorbed  in  one  statement  of  the 
apostles,  "It  is  God  that  worketh  in  you,"  that  he 
sometimes  forgets  the  other  clause  of  the  same  sen- 
tence, ''Work  out  your  ozvn  saivationr  He  insists, 
again  and  again,  that  absolutely  no  condition  is 
annexed  to  God's  offer  of  free  pardon.  There  is  no 
intimation  that  it  is  necessary  to  renounce  and  for- 
sake sin.  In  one  of  his  addresses  he  used  the  follow- 
ing language:  "I  imagine  some  of  you  will  say,  'I 
haven't  anything  to  do.'  Well,  you  haven't.  Sal- 
vation has  been  worked  out  for  you  by  another." 
This  without  a  word  of  qualification  or  reserve,  and 
insisted  on  over,  and  over  again.  Apparently  in  Mr. 
Moody's  view,  Christ's  sacrificial  death  has  not  only 
taken  the  place  of  the  sinner's  punishment ;  it  has 
saved  him  from  all  necessity  for  exertion.  Of  the 
New  Testament  exhortation,  "7?^/^;z^  and  believe, " 


Il6  LIFE  OF 

Mr.  Moody  seems  to  recognize  only  the  last  half. 
From  Genesis  to  Revelation  he  finds  but  one  truth, 
free  pardon  through  a  substitutional  atonement,  with 
endless  bliss  or  woe  depending  upon  its  acceptance 
by  a  single  act  of  faith." 

Shaw  perhaps  never  preached  a  discourse  with- 
out bringing  prominently  forward  the  thought  of 
human  responsibihty.  One  of  his  sermons  is  headed, 
"Hear,  Believe,  Do!"  And  while  he  always  set 
forth  what  God,  and  Christ,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  had 
to  do  in  the  work  of  human  salvation,  he  never  failed 
to  show  that  something  was  needful  on  the  part  of 
man  in  order  to  its  enjoyment,  and  that,  not  an 
acceptance  by  faith  only  of  the  offered  grace,  but 
a  faith  evinced  by  true  repentance,  and  a  yielding 
to,  and  walking  in  all  the  commandments  of  God. 

Moody  said  to  his  hearers:  ''You  can  make  your- 
selves Christians  just  about  as  easy  as  a  black  man 
can  ;vash  himself  white." 

Shaw  said  to  his:  '''Come,  for  all  things  are  now 
ready.'  The  Father  is  ready;  the  Son  is  ready;  the 
Spirit  is  ready;  ministers  ready;  angels  ready;  church 
ready;  ordinances  ready.  *  Christ  is  the  author  of  an 
eternal  salvation  to  all  them  that  obey  him.'  Sinner, 
are  you  ready?  When  all  things  are  ready,  why  not 
come?"  And  again:  *'It  is  only  in  obedience  to 
the  divine  law  that  man  can  reap  the  benefits  result- 
ing from  the  life  of  love,  and  death  sacrifice  of  Christ. 
Indeed,  no  man  can  justly  claim  to  be  reconciled  to 
God  who  is  not  willing  to  yield  his  will  and  life  to 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


117 


God ;  for  the  evidence  of  reconciliation  is  subjection 
to  the  law  of  God." 

Moody  also  made  the  great  mistake  of  system- 
atically avoiding  any  mention  of  the  ordinance  of 
baptism,  except  to  reason  it  away,  and  show  its 
entire  uselessness  in  the  plan  of  salvation.  In  his 
plan  it  had  no  place,  no  use.  He  seemed  to  have 
forgotten  that  baptism  was  one  of  the  conditions  of 
salvation  as  set  forth  in  the  great  commission,  under 
which  he  claimed  to  preach ;  that  it  was  everywhere 
enjoined  by  the  apostles  and  primitive  preachers, 
and  that  in  their  days  an  unbaptized  convert  was 
unknown.  With  them  the  command  to  be  baptized 
was  as  universal  as  the  commands  to  believe  on 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  to  repent.  Mr.  Moody 
entirely  ignored  it,  and  in  this  respect  v/as  like  a 
recruiting  officer  who  omits  one  of  the  terms  of 
enlistment,  a  physician  who  omits  one  of  the  essen- 
tial elements  of  a  prescription,  and  on  the  same 
principle  that  leads  him  to  ignore  baptism  would 
deny  the  necessity  of  a  ceremony  to  marriage,  a  seal 
to  a  covenant,  an  official  name  to  a  pardon. 

His  method  was  to  soften  down  the  harsher  ele- 
ments of  the  creed  under  which  he  had  been  reared; 
and  it  must  be  added  that  he  also  suppressed  cer- 
tain plain  teachings  of  the  Scriptures ;  that  he  failed 
utterly  to  "declare  all  the  counsel  of  God." 

In  this  respect,  Shaw  presented  a  striking  contrast 
to  the  earnest,  gifted,  yet  erring  Moody.  While 
insisting  as  earnestly  as  he  on  the  necessity  of  faith, 


ii8 


LIFE  OF 


he  also  insisted  on  repentance  toward  God,  and  on 
the  necessity  of  giving  evidence  of  unfeigned  faith, 
and  sincere  repentance  by  obedience  to  the  clearly 
expressed  will  of  the  Master,  and  the  uniform  teach- 
ing of  the  apostles  in  regard  to  baptism.  He  taught 
all  that  Moody  did  in  regard  to  faith  in  the  Lord 
Jesus;  and  all  that  Moody  omitted,  and  the  Scrip- 
tures taught  with  regard  to  the  ordinance,  which  is 
very  generally  regarded  as  the  seal  of  the  covenant 
between  the  returning  sinner  and  the  Savior,  who 
accepts  his  submission,  and  freely  pardons. 

Moody  came  before  his  hearers  claiming  to  be  the 
bearer  of  a  message  from  Christ  to  them,  but  kept 
back  a  part  of  that  message,  nay,  claimed  that  a  por- 
tion of  the  message  was  useless.  Shaw  came  before 
his  hearers  with  the  same  claim,  and  declared  the 
entire  message  of  him  for  whom  he  spake.  To  be 
convinced  of  this,  the  reader  has  only  to  consult  the 
Acts  of  Apostles,  and  see  whether  the  inspired 
preachers  found  in  Moody,  or  Shaw  the  most  faith- 
ful imitator.  To  anxious,  inquiring  sinners.  Moody 
never  gave  the  same  answer  that  was  g^ven  to  the 
same  class  by  the  apostles.  Shaw  never  gave  any 
other  answer  than  that  given  by  the  apostles. 
Moody,  unlike  the  apostles,  never  baptized  his  con- 
verts. Shaw,  like  the  apostles,  did  invariably  bap- 
tize his.  The  very  language  of  the  Acts  of  Apostles 
could  be  used  without  violence  in  regard  to  the 
results  of  Shaw's  labors:  the  people  hearing  be- 
lieved, and  were  baptized."    In  no  instance  was  this 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


119 


true  of  the  results  of  the  preaching  of  the  other. 
In  a  word,  Moody  was  a  modern  evangeHst,  using 
modern  methods  and  expedients,  but  Shaw  was  an 
evangeHst  of  the  ancient  type,  telHng  to  men  in 
modern  times  the  old,  old  story,  as  it  was  told  by 
Peter  on  Pentecost,  or  by  Paul  to  the  Philippian 
jailer. 

The  difference  between  them  did  not  consist  in 
Moody  giving  the  greater  prominence  to  faith,  which 
really  was  the  most  prominent  feature  of  his  preach- 
ing, and  Shaw  giving  the  greater  prominence  to 
baptism,  which  really  was  not  the  case.  He  insisted 
quite  as  strongly  as  did  Moody  on  the  absolute 
necessity  of  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  taught 
that  "without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  God;" 
made  it  in  fact  an  indispensable  element  in  the  sal- 
vation of  the  sinner;  and,  in  addition  to  this,  taught 
the  indispensable  necessity  of  repentance,  making  it 
even  more  prominent  than  Moody  did,  insisting  that 
**God  hath  commanded  all  men  everywhere  to 
repent,"  following  it  up  by  the  solemn  reason  that 
*'He  hath -appointed  a  day  in  which  he  will  judge 
the  world  in  righteousness;"  thus  giving  the  very 
strongest  motive  to  men  to  turn  from  their  sins.  In 
addition  to  this,  he  invariably  taught  that  every  pen- 
itent believer  should  "be  baptized  in  the  name  of 
Jesus  Christ  for  the  remission  of  sins ;"  adding  thus 
to  the  teachings  of  Moody  an  act  of  obedience  by 
Avhich  faith  and  repentance  Avere  manifested ;  an  act 
hi  which  the  names  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit, 


I20 


LIFE  OF 


meet;  an  act  in  which  allegiance  to  Satan  is  re- 
nounced, and  allegiance  to  Christ  pledged ;  an  act 
in  which  submission  is  manifested  by  the  sinner,  and 
acceptance  by  the  Savior ;  for  in  that  solemn  act  the 
sinner  is  said  to  be  buried  with  Christ  and  to  put  on 
Christ. 

With  Moody,  this  act  had  neither  place  nor  sig- 
nificance in  the  Christian  scheme.  With  Shaw,  it 
was  as  much  a  part  of  the  gospel  plan,  and  enjoined 
with  as  much  authority,  as  faith,  repentance,  or  any 
other  element  of  that  plan,  and  as  clearly  one  of  the 
conditions  of  pardon  as  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  itself  He  did  not,  however,  attribute  to  it 
a  cleansing,  saving  power.  No  one  could  be  further 
from  believing  that  water,  or  anything  short  of  the 
blood  of  Christ,  could  cleanse  the  soul  from  sin,  than 
he ;  and  yet  he  did  believe  and  teach  that  pardon 
was  promised  and  bestowed  on  the  penitent  believer, 
when  he  sought  it  in  this  act  of  obedience,  and  in 
accordance  with  the  teaching  of  the  word  of  God. 
If  Moody  was  disposed  to  regard  baptism  as  use- 
less, or  at  best  one  of  the  least  commandments, 
Shaw  did  not  so  discriminate.  It  was  enough  for 
him  to  know  that  it  was  a  divine  command  ;  nor  did 
he  forget  that  those  who  should  break  even  the  least 
of  the  commandments,  and  teach  others  to  do  so, 
should  be  esteemed  least  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
Anything  bearing  the  seal  of  divine  authority  was 
sacred  to  him.  Moody  said,  on  more  than  one  occa- 
sion :  "If  baptizing  a  man  would  save  him,  I  would 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


121 


do  nothing  else  but  baptize.  Every  man  and  woman 
I  meet  on  the  street  I  would  persuade  to  be  baptized. 
I  would  not  wait  for  anything  ;  I'd  even  baptize  them 
while  they  were  asleep,  for  fear  that  they  might  die 
before  I  got  a  chance  at  them." 

Contrast  with  this  the  following  from  Shaw,  on  the 
same  subject,  as  given  by  a  reporter  who  attended 
one  of  his  meetings  : 

'*We  never  heard  the  New  Testament  figure  of  Christ, 
the  bridegroom,  applied  with  greater  power.  He  said 
when  a  young  couple  contracted  to  be  married,  and  pos- 
sessed the  heart  and  the  will  for  the  change,  all  that  was 
needed  of  course  was  the  marriage  ceremony  to  induct 
them  into  this  new  state  or  relationship  to  each  other. 
That  done,  they  are  legally  man  and  wife.  They  felt  before 
precisely  as  they  do  now,  only  the  formula  of  the  law  was 
wanting  to  permit  the  woman  taking  his  name,  and  allow- 
ing him  to  claim  her  as  his  wife.  So  with  becoming  a 
Christian,  With  faith  in  the  testimony  presented  comes 
repentance,  and  this  produces  a  resolution  to  turn  away 
from  the  past  life.  The  change  of  heart  is  succeeded  by 
the  third  step ;  that  is,  baptism  into  the  na77ie  of  the  Father, 
the  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.  The  act  of  baptism  does  not 
change  the  convert's  heart — faith  in  the  truths  of  the  gos- 
pel did  that  before.  It  only  indicates  his  altered  con- 
dition ;  it  is  a  seal  to  shov>^  that  he  has  left  the  world  and 
gone  upon  the  Lord's  side.  Then  he  takes  Christ's  name, 
just  as  the  wife  takes  the  name  of  her  husband  when  the 
nuptial  pledge  has  been  given.  As  the  wife  would  have 
no  authority  under  human  law  to  assume  the  name  of  the 
husband  before  the  marriage  ceremony,  so.  according  to 
the  New  Testament,  no  convert  can  claim  the  name  of 
Christian  without  the  final  act  of  baptism,  the  line  dividing 
the  kingdom  of  the  Devil  from  the  kingdom  of  God." 

Moody  seemed  to  regard  the  first  item  in  the  great 


122 


LIFE  OF 


commission,  "He  that  believeth,"  so  important  as 
to  render  the  rest  of  no  value  whatever;  just  as  a 
man  might  unwisely  do,  who,  seeing  the  importance 
of  a  mainspring  in  a  watch,  should  so  far  overrate  it 
as  to  regard  everything  else  as  useless ;  while  Shaw 
was  like  a  wiser  man,  who  realized  that  even  the 
mainspring  was  useless,  unless  all  the  other  parts 
were  in  harmonious  relation  to  it ;  that  the  absence 
of  any  part,  wheel,  hand,  or  dial,  would  destroy  the 
unity  and  usefulness  of  the  whole.  Shaw  declared 
the  whole  counsel  of  God.  If  it  $eem  harsh,  it  is 
nevertheless  true  that  Moody  did  not. 

Moody's  work  did  not  contemplate  the  planting 
and  training  of  churches.  When  he  brought  a  man 
up  to  the  point  of  saying,  **I  am  for  Christ,"  his 
work  was  done.  No  formal  confession  of  faith  in 
Christ  was  demanded  ;  no  union  with  the  church 
insisted  upon.  His  work  was  as  imperfect  as  would 
be  that  of  the  recruiting  officer  who  would  get  men 
up  to  the  point  of  willingness  to  enlist,  and  yet 
neither  tell  them  how  they  from  citizens  became 
soldiers  ;  nothing  of  being  mustered  in,  of  the  uni- 
form, of  the  armor,  of  the  drill.  When  the  same 
point  was  reached  by  Shaw  it  was  regarded  as  but 
the  initial  step  to  a  great  life-work ;  it  was  the 
entrance  upon  a  pilgrimage  that  would  end  but  with 
life ;  a  race  where  the  crown  was  at  the  end  ;  a  war- 
fare in  which  there  was  no  rest  until  the  last  battle 
was  fought  and  the  victory  won. 

Hence,  while  he  labored  earnestly  to  win  men  to 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


123 


the  service  of  Christ,  he  strove,  with  equal  earnest- 
ness, to  induce  all  such  to  put  on  the  whole  armor, 
to  fight  the  good  fight,  to  press  forward,  to  lay  aside 
every  weight  and  the  easily  besetting  sin,  to  run  with 
patience,  to  be  steadfast,  immovable,  always  abound- 
ing in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  assuring  them  that 
their  labor  in  the  Lord  would  not  be  in  vain. 

The  result  has  been  that  his  work  lives  though  he 
be  dead,  and  gives  promise  of  being  a  permanent 
one.  The  interest  excited  by  Moody's  visits,  in 
many  places,  instead  of  developing  into  permanent 
good  and  steady  growth,  has  been  followed  by  a 
revulsion,  anything  but  favorable  to  the  cause  of 
religion — a  meteor's  light,  followed  by  intense  dark- 
ness. 

Under  the  labors  of  Shaw,  weak  churches  have 
been  strengthened,  unnumbered  hearts  comforted ; 
none  left  asking  in  vain,  "Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have 
me  to  do?"  New  churches  have  been  formed,  which 
have  grown  up  into  strength  and  usefulness,  and,  if 
his  works  lack  the  meteor's  splendors,  they  have  the 
steady  and  serene  light  of  the  stars. 

In  zeal,  energy,  earnestness,  in  ceaseless,  tireless 
work,  there  was  a  resemblance  between  the  two  men 
which  few  could  fail  to  observe  and  admire ;  but,  as 
we  have  shown,  in  their  methods  they  could  scarcely 
have  differed  more  widely.  Let  us  close  the  con- 
trast with  two  cases. 

Moody  said:  "When  you  go  to  the  station  and 
take  a,  ticket  for  London,  and  seat  yourself  in  the 


124 


LIFE  OF 


train,  the  guard  will  come  and  look  at  your  ticket. 
He  looks  at  that,  not  you.  The  blood  is  God's 
ticket.  God  says  have  you  got  your  ticket,  or 
token?  If  you  are  behind  the  blood  you  are  as  safe 
as  on  the  golden  pavement  of  heaven.  Wake  up, 
for  you'll  never  get  to  heaven  unless  you  are  floated 
thither  on  the  crimson  tide  of  Christ's  precious 
blood." 

Shaw  said:  ''Time  is  short,  and  we  have  only 
one  trip  through  the  world,  and  no  coming  back  to 
rectify  mistakes,  or  make  up  lost  opportunities ; 
therefore  do  not  wait  to  pack  your  trunk  until  the 
whistle  blows.  Have  your  trunk  packed  and  a 
through  ticket  all  ready  before  train  time.  Genuine 
tickets  are  stamped,  *  He  that  believeth,  and  is  bap- 
tized, shall  be  saved.'  " 

Moody's  ticket  fixes  the  attention  on  what  Christ 
has  done  to  save  man,  but  does  not  show  how  the 
benefits  of  that  death  may  be  appropriated  and 
enjoyed  by  the  sinner,  and  is  calculated  to  make  the 
impression  that  Christ's  death  paid  the  debt,  and 
thus  set  the  guilty  free.  Shaw's  ticket  fixes  the 
attention  on  what  is  necessary  to  be  done  by  the 
sinner  in  order  to  avail  himself  of  the  benefits  of 
Christ's  death ;  shows  that  obedience  is  as  necessary 
on  the  part  of  the  sinner  as  dying  on  the  part  of  the 
Savior;  shows  that  Christ  is  **the  author  of  an  eter- 
nal salvation"  (not  to  all  men  in  virtue  of  his  death), 
but  "to  all  them  that  obey  him."  Moody  taught 
that  salvation  was  wrought  out  by  Christ.  Shaw, 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


125 


that  while  Christ  died  to  save  man,  he  must  'Svork 
out  his  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling." 
Moody  makes  everything  to  depend  on  the  phy- 
sician. Shaw  makes  the  sin-sick  man  show  his  trust 
in  the  physician  by  taking  the  remedy.  Moody,  sep- 
arates faith  and  works.  Shaw  insists  on  their  going 
together.  Moody  did  not,  and  could  not  express 
his  views  in  the  words  of  Scripture.  Shaw  could 
and  did  express  his,  in  the  very  words  of  Christ 
himself  Moody,  as  far  as  we  can  learn,  never  bap- 
tized a  single  convert.  Shaw  baptized  many  thou- 
sands of  those  who  heard  the  gospel  from  his  lips, 
and  were  persuaded  to  turn  from  their  sins  to  God. 
Which  of  them  followed  the  teaching  of  Christ,  and 
the  example  of  the  apostles? 


126 


LIFE  OF 


CHAPTER  XI. 


Need  of  Mental  Photograph — A  Speci??ien   Sermon — How 
Readcst  Thou  1— What  Lack  I  Yetl 

When  a  loved  one  dies,  we  often  regret  having 
failed  to  secure  a  picture  of  such  an  one  while  living; 
but  the  actual  presence  made  us  forget  that  the  time 
would  come  when  the  shadow  would  becom.e  so  dear. 
And  so  it  is  with  regard  to  the  addresses  or  sermons 
of  those  to  whom  in  life  we  loved  to  listen.  While 
those  who  give  them  utterance  are  with  us,  we  do 
not  think  of  preserving  what  they  say,  and  yet  what 
a  value  one  of  their  sermons  would  possess  when 
they  are  no  longer  here.  Elsewhere,  we  have  pre- 
sented brief,  but  very  imperfect,  sketches  of  some 
of  Brother  Shaw's  sermons,  and  we  feel  what  a  treas- 
ure it  would  be  to  have  one  so  fully  reported  as  to 
give  us  an  idea  of  his  treatment  of  his  theme.  He 
has  not  left  such  a  report,  nor  did  his  friends  secure 
one  while  such  a  thing  was  possible  ;  fragments  or 
brief  sketches  are  numerous,  but  the  full  and  com- 
plete treatment  of  any  one  of  his  subjects  we  have 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


127 


been  unable  to  find.  *  Such  a  report  would  be  valu- 
able now,  not  because  of  its  intrinsic  worth,  but 
because  it  was  his,  and  would  serve  to  bring  him  up 
to  memory  as  he  really  was. 

The  nearest  approach  to  anything  of  this  kind  is 
in  the  notes  of  a  sermon  on  the  words,  ''How 
readest  thou?"  (Luke  x.  26),  which  we  give: 

"The  circumstances  which  gave  rise  to  the  words  of 
the  text  are  these :  A  lawyer  stood  up  and  tempted  Christ, 
saying,  '  Master,  what  shall  I  do  to  inherit  eternal  life  ?' 
Christ's  reply  was,  '  What  is  written  in  the  law  ?  How 
readest  thou  ?'  He  is  made  to  answer  his  own  quesdon 
by  a  quotation  from  the  law,  and  is  obliged  to  ask  the 
further  quesdon,  'Who  is  my  neighbor?'  Which  Christ 
answers  by  the  story  of  the  Good  Samaritan,  and  makes 
the  questioner  again  answer  his  own  question. 

"I  desire  to  call  your  attention  to  Christ's  question  in 
three  respects : 

ist.  '  How  readest  thouV  as  a  personal  matter.  2d. 
'  How  readest  thou  ?'    3d.  '  Hoiu  readest  thou  ?' 

"The  question  I  ask  is  over  eighteen  hundred  years 
old.  It  was  asked  by  Christ  himself,  hence  important.  I 
repeat  it  as  coming  from  Christ,  and  press  it  home  as  a 
matter  of  life  and  death,  a  matter  of  temporal  and  eternal 
moment. 

"  ist.  "Do  you  read  the  word  of  God  at  all?  I  ask 
this  question,  because  there  is  no  knowledge  absolutely 
essential  to  man's  salvation  except  a  knowledge  of  things 
found  in  the  Bible. 

"We  live  in  an  age  when  the  words  of  the  prophet 
Daniel  are  fulfilled :  '  Many  shall  run  to  and  fro,  and 


T28 


LIFE  OF 


knowledge  shall  increase.'  Schools  are  abundant  and 
good.  Colleges  and  Universities  of  the  highest  type  are 
numerous.  We  have  books  without  number.  More  is 
being  written,  taught,  and  learned  now  than  ever  before 
in  any  age  of  the  world ;  and  yet  all  the  education  a  man 
can  get  into  his  head  could  not  save  his  soul,  unless  he 
knows  and  obeys  the  truths  of  the  Bible.  A  man  may  be 
able  to  master  half  the  languages  of  the  world;  he  may 
have  read  books  till  he  is  a  walking  encyclopaedia;  he  may 
be  acquainted  with  the  stars  of  heaven,  the  birds  of  the 
air,  the  fish  of  the  sea,  the  cedars  of  Lebanon ;  yea,  he 
may  be  able  to  discourse  upon  the  great  secrets  of  earth, 
air,  fire,  and  water,  and  still  be  lost  for  remaining  igno- 
rant of  the  Bible.  Chemistry  never  silenced  a  guilty  con- 
science, mathematics  never  healed  a  broken  heart,  phi- 
losophy can  not  give  hope  in  death,  natural  theology  gives 
no  hope  of  a  resurrection.  All  these  are  good  and  useful 
for  earth  and  time,  but  they  never  did  and  never  can 
raise  man  above  earth's  level.  So  a  man  may  be  igno- 
rant in  those  things,  and  yet  by  the  knowledge  of  that  one 
Book — of  one  science — reach  a  home  in  heaven  with  God. 
We  can  get  to  heaven  without  money,  health,  learning,  or 
friends,  but  not  without  the  Bible. 

"Then  I  ask  again,  ^ How  readjst  thou  2^  Because  it 
is  the  book  of  inspiration,  so  unlike  and  superior  to  all 
others.  God  taught  the  writers  what  to  say.  When  we 
read  this  Book  we  read  God's  will.  This  Book  was 
written  by  about  fifty  different  persons,  of  every  rank  and 
class  of  society,  among  them  a  lawgiver,  a  warrior  king, 
a  peaceful  king,  a  herdsman,  a  pharisee,  a  publican,  and 
a  poor  fisherman.  It  was  written  at  different  times,  run- 
ning over  a  space  of  at  least  fifteen  hundred  years,  i'he 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


129 


greater  part  of  these  writers  never  saw  each  other  face  to 
face,  and  yet  there  is  perfect  harmony  and  agreement. 
They  all  tell  the  same  story  of  man  the  sinner,  God's 
love,  Christ's  condescension  and  sacrifice,  and  the  sub- 
lime plan  of  redemption — unfolding  all  man's  duty  and 
destiny.  Certainly  this  could  not  be  the  work  of  chance ! 
The  Bible  has  been  criticised,  abused,  burned,  and  blas- 
phemed for  nearly  two  thousand  years— the  busiest  years 
of  earth's  history — and  yet  it  stands,  as  it  was  given, 
unchanged  and  unimproved.  The  mightiest  discoveries 
have  been  made,  sciences  have  improved,  customs  have 
altered,  great  numbers  of  things  once  deemed  useful  have 
become  obsolete,  scarcely  a  thing  but  faults  have  been 
found  with  it,  weak  points  discovered;  but  all  this  time 
the  Bible  has  stood  untouched,  unchanged,  perfect,  be- 
cause its  Author  is  perfect.  The  march  of  intellect  never 
overtakes  it.  Science  develops  nothing  to  contradict  it. 
It  meets  now,  as  it  ever  has  done,  the  wants  of  all  ages, 
ranks,  climates,  minds,  and  conditions.  It  was  '  written 
for  our  learning.'  The  subjects  treated  in  the  Bible  are  of 
the  most  important  nature.  It  handles  theories  beyond 
the  reach  of  man  if  left  to  himself — the  soul,  the  world 
to  come,  eternity.  How  little  did  the  wisest  of  the  hea- 
then know?  How  dim  the  views  of  Solon,  Socrates, 
Aristotle,  Plato,  Seneca,  and  Cicero?  A  Sunday-school 
child  twelve  years  old  knows  more  of  eternal  truth  than 
all  these. 

"The  Bible  tells  of  the  beginning  of  the  globe  on  which 
we  live ;  the  origin  of  all  things.  It  gives  the  only  worthy 
account  of  man's  origin,  and  the  only  faithful  history  of 
man.  It  gives  true  and  correct  views  of  God— that  he 
hates  sin  and  loves  the  sinner.  It  gives  the  true  character 
9 


130 


LIFE  OF 


of  Jesus  Christ — his  birth,  life,  ministry,  sayings,  doings, 
sufferings,  death,  power,  love,  his  word,  his  works,  his 
thoughts,  his  heart.  Thank  God,  there  is  one  theme  we 
can  understand  Christ.  The  Bible  contains  encouraging 
examples  of  good;  a  rich  treasury  of  precious  promises; 
describes  that  blessed  hope  which  is  as  an  anchor  to  the 
soul;  contains  faithful  warnings;  our  final  destiny— all 
sealed  with  the  precious  blood  of  Christ. 

"I  ask  the  question,  'How  readest  thou?'  Because 
no  book  has  done  so  much  for  the  world.  When  Christ 
sent  out  his  few  disciples  it  looked  like  an  impossibility  to 
revolutionize  the  world.  He  sent  them  out  when  the 
world  was  full  of  superstition,  cruelty,  lust,  and  sin  of 
every  kind.  Follow  in  their  track  and  see  what  was  done. 
Each  man  went  forth  then,  and  should  now — one  holy 
man,  with  one  holy  Book.  The  results,  in  a  few  years, 
were  as  follows :  They  pulled  down  idolatry,  introduced  a 
pure  morality,  altered  the  standard  of  purity  and  decency, 
raised  the  character  and  position  of  women,  encountered 
the  most  cruel  opposition,  yet  conquered,  and  the  chains 
of  slavery  were  broken  by  the  gospel  of  liberty ;  and  the 
glory  of  its  victories  is  that  they  were  bloodless. 

"This  is  the  Book  which  turned  Europe  upside  down 
in  the  days  of  the  Reformation.  It  was  not  merely  the 
preaching  of  Luther;  but  that  which  overthrew  the  Pope's 
power  was  the  Bible,  translated  into  German  and  read  by 
the  people.  Not  merely  the  quarrel  between  Henry  VHI, 
and  the  Pope,  which  lessened  the  hold  of  the  Papacy  on 
the  English  mind;  it  was  the  royal  permit  to  have  the 
Bible  translated  and  placed  in  the  churches,  so  that  all 
might  read  it.  Look  at  the  countries  where  the  Bible 
is  prohibited— Italy,  Spain,  the  South  American  States. 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


Compare  them  with  those  where  the  Bible  is  free  to  all — 
England,  Scotland,  and  the  United  States.  We  may  judge 
of  a  nation  by  its  treatment  of  the  Bible. 

*'To  the  influence  of  the  Bible  we  are  indebted  for 
every  humane  and  charitable  institution  in  existence. 
The  sick,  the  poor,  the  aged,  and  infirm ;  the  orphan,  the 
lunatic,  the  idiot,  the  deaT,  the  dumb,  the  blind,  were  sel- 
dom thought  of  before  the  Bible  exerted  its  influence 
over  so  many  lands.  Little  does  the  scoffing  infidel  think, 
as  he  lies  sick,  far  from  home  in  some  hospital,  attended 
by  kind  hands,  that  he  owes  his  very  Hfe  to  that  Bible  he 
has  affected  to  despise.  Surely  such  a  Book  as  this  has 
more  than  an  ordinary  claim  upon  our  attention.  We 
]>ress,  then,  the  question,  ^  How  readest  thouV  Read  it 
right.  It  will  not  make  you  a  doctor,  a  lawyer,  an  engi- 
neer, but  it  will  make  one  wise  unto  salvation.  There  is 
another  world  to  be  thought  of.  The  Bible  can  show  the 
way  to  heaven.  Do  you  read  it  to  learn  your  duty  ?  The 
Bible  has  wrought  moral  miracles  in  all  ages.  It  has  made 
drunkards  sober ;  unchaste,  pure;  thieves,  honest;  violent, 
meek ;  lovers  of  pleasure,  to  be  lovers  of  God.  By  it  we 
are  to  be  sanctified — 'thoroughly  furnished  unto  all  good 
works.'  Yes,  this  is  one  infallible  guide  we  have,  we  want 
no  other.  Here  infaUibility  resides.  Not  in  the  church, 
not  in  councils,  not  in  ministers;  it  is  only  found  in  the 
written  word  of  God.  This  is  the  only  infallible  thing  on 
earth.  If  men  are  not  benefited  by  it,  the  fault  is  with 
themselves,  not  the  Book.  Read  it  like  the  eunuch,  and 
find  Christ  in  it;  like  the  Bereans,  to  find  whether  the 
things  you  have  heard  preached  be  so. 

"Man  has  awfully  neglected  this  book.  Man  has  a 
way  of  abusing  blessings,  both  for  the  body  and  soul. 


132 


LIFE  OF 


The  Catholic  Church  has  kept,  and  even  now  keeps,  the 
Bible  from  the  masses.  This  Book,  given  for  our  learn- 
ing—  'the  sword  of  the  Spirit' — 'able  to  make  us  wise 
unto  salvation,'  neglected!  How  inexcusable,  O  man! 
Seldom  read  but  on  Sunday — often  not  then  !  Read  care- 
lessly; read  prayerlessly ;  read  by  scraps,  with  no  special 
aim.  Some  neglect  it  because  it  condemns  them.  *  How 
readest  thou  ? '  By  that  word  we  shall  be  judged.  What 
are  other  books?  What  are  the  books  we  read  most? 
What  are  novels  compared  to  this?  We  must  all  die, 
be  judged,  saved,  or  lost.  Read  the  Bible,  try  modern 
doctrines  by  it,  learn  your  duty  for  yourself.  Read  it 
because  the  good  have  always  loved  it,  and  found  comfort 
in  it.  Read  it,  because  it  alone  can  give  comfort  in  death. 
Worldly  pleasures  can  not  give  comfort.  How  hollow  the 
brilliant  ball-room,  the  merry  dance,  the  card-table,  the 
opera,  in  the  hour  of  death !  Not  from  these,  nor  from 
those  who  find  joy  in  them,  do  we  seek  for  solace  then. 
No;  call  one  good  man,  with  the  one  good  Book.  Let 
all  be  quiet;  listen!  'Tis  the  voice  of  God;  hear  the 
sacred  word!  Oh  how  full  of  comfort,  if  a  Christian,  the 
words:  '  Our  light  afflictions,  which  are  but  for  a  moment, 
work  out  for  us  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight 
of  glory,  while  we  look  not  at  the  things  which  are  seen, 
but  at  the  things  which  are  not  seen ;  for  the  things  which 
are  seen  are  temporal,  but  the  things  which  are  not  seen 
are  eternal.'  Oh  give  me  my  Bible  and  my  faith,  and  I 
can  bear  all  my  trials  and  persecutions,  and  die  in  peace. 

"Of  all  men's  buried  talents,  none  will  weigh  them 
down  so  heavily  as  a  neglected  Bible.  As  you  deal  with 
God's  word,  so  God  will  deal  with  you.  Read  it  with  an 
honest  purpose ;  read  it  fairly,  systematically,  and  obey  as 
you  read,  and  you  are  safe. 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


''Men  idolize  their  church,  praise  their  minister,  glory 
in  their  creeds,  trust  in  their  sacraments.  Let  us  cherish 
the  word  of  God.  It  is  the  lamp  to  our  feet  in  life's  great 
wilderness.^  It  is  our  chart  over  life's  stormy  sea. 

"We  need  Bible-reading  ministers,  Bible-reading  con- 
gregations. Oh  what  blessings  would  follow  if  we  were  a 
Bible-reading  nation  !  Sinner,  turn  from  the  world,  obey 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  live  forever." 

In  the  delivery  of  the  above,  it  was  expanded  to 
perhaps  five  times  its  present  length.  It  is  indeed 
only  an  outline,  but  still  one  that  will  serve  to  indi- 
cate the  channel  in  which  the  current  of  his  thoughts 
was  wont  to  flow. 

A  few  thoughts  from  a  "Sermon  to  Young  Men," 
will  here  find  a  fitting  place.  His  theme  was  the 
question  of  the  young  man  who  came  to  Christ,  and 
seemed  so  desirous  of  knowing  and  doing  his  will, 
who,  after  having  said  that  he  had  kept  the  com- 
mandments from  his  youth  up,  asked,  "What  lack 
I  yet?" 

''Religion  is  the  most  important  element  in  character; 
it  is  the  director  of  all  the  rest.  Every  true  man,  in  real 
earnest,  who  knows  what  religion  is,  desires  to  become  a 
religious  man,  and  then  to  do  all  he  can  for  it,  and  enjoy 
all  he  can  of  it.  It  does  not  always  appear  so;  but  it  is 
so.  They  desire  it  with  different  degrees  of  will.  We  all 
have  more  or  less  opposition ;  there  are  many  hindrances. 
One  has  a  lion  of  a- temper;  another  the  demon  of  appe- 
tite— enemies  within  and  enemies  without. 

"Now,  in  this  great  conflict,  the  question  by  every 


134 


LIFE  OF 


thoughtful  young  man  is,  'What  lack  I  yet?'  After  all  I 
have  done  for  myself,  after  all  that  others — father,  mother, 
friends,  teachers,  country,  God,  Christ,  the  Bible,  the 
Spirit — have  done,  still  there  is  alack,  what  is  it?  Oh! 
'what  lack  I  yet?'  'One  thing  thou  lackest.'  If  not  a 
Christian  you  lack  everything,  as  a  corpse  lacks  life. 
Here  is  the  sphere  in  which  a  young  man  can  labor  to  gain 
an  immortal  crown,  '  Seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God.' 
Accept  Christ  and  labor  for  a  cause  that  is  worthy  of  all 
your  efforts.  The  noblest  character  among  young  men  is 
the  Christian.  With  what  holy  pride  do  we  point  to  our 
young  men  who  are  laboring  in  their  various  professions 
and  callings  as  Christians,  for  Christ  and  humanity  ?  A 
host !  Look  at  them !  That  young  farmer,  in  his  plain 
garb,  who  industriously  toils,  and  honestly  earns  his  daily 
bread,  who  leads  at  the  same  time  a  pious,  devoted  life. 
That  young  physician,  who  not  only  relieves  the  body  of 
its  aches  and  pains,  but  who  looks  to  God  for  guidance, 
and  has  a  cheerful  word  for  his  patient  if  a  Christian,  or 
a  word  of  warning  if  a  sinner;  whose  daily  life  proves 
him  a  child  of  God.  As  he  sits  in  the  great  congregation, 
an  humble  worshiper  with  God's  people,  with  what  pleas- 
ure we  point  to  him,  thus  dedicating  his  powers  to  God 
and  humanity.  Then  the  young  Christian  lawyer,  who 
takes  not  a  bribe  against  the  innocent,  who  defends  the 
just  claim,  and  labors  to  promote  law  and  order.  With 
pride  we  point  to  all  these  and  say.  Behold  the  witnesses 
for  Jesus.  What  a  power  for  the  right !  What  a  grand 
company?  Then  the  young  minister,  who  stands  as  an 
example  in  word  and  deed  to  his  companions  and  young 
friends ;  you  know  young  men,  that  you  love  and  respect 
him,  nay,  even  admire  him,  as  with  tear-filled  eyes  he 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


135 


Stands  and  earnestly  pleads  for  souls.  Oh,  the  honors 
which  await  such  a  host  as  this!  Then  let  me  appeal  to 
your  better  judgment,  and  urge  you  to  accept  Christ  to- 
night. It  is  just  and  reasonable;  he  demands  it,  and  you 
owe  it.  It  is  the  demand  of  gratitude ;  see  what  he  has 
done  for  you.  Are  you  not  grateful  for  this  rich  offer  of 
his  love  ?  How  much  happier  such  a  course  will  render 
you.  How  much  safer  you  will  be — how  much  more  use- 
ful to  society  and  friends.  You  will  be  better  sons,  better 
brothers,  better  citizens,  better  teachers,  better  in  any 
department  of  life  in  which  your  work  may  lay.  God 
calls  you,  Christ  died  for  you,  the  Spirit  warns  you,  heaven 
opens  to  you,  then  come  !  Death  is  on  your  track ;  soon 
you  may  be  among  the  dead.  The  soul  requires  some- 
thing more  than  earth  can  give  in  view  of  death.  To  the 
Christian,  death  comes  a  welcome  visitor,  to  deliver  him 
from  mortality,  from  these  changing  scenes  and  decaying 
body,  on  which  time  wages  perpetual  war,  whitening  our 
locks,  furrowing  our  cheeks,  weakening  our  nerves,  and 
death  comes  but  to  deliver.  Dread  not  then,  fellow- 
Christian!  Procrastinate  not,  dear  sinner;  come  to-night; 
start  for  usefulness,  happiness,  and  heaven." 


136 


LIFE  OF 


CHAPTER  XII. 


Not  a  Eulogy,  but  a  Life— Pen  Portrait  by  David  Walk — 
Meeting  at  Memphis — Notices  by  the  Me^fiphis  Press. 

"Paint  me  as  I  am,"  said  Oliver  Cromwell  to  the 
artist,  who  was  transferring  his  features  to  the  can- 
vas, and  thought  to  flatter  him  by  leaving  out  of 
the  picture  the  unsightly  wart  by  which  his  face  was 
disfigured.  The  stern  old  warrior  did  not  wish  to 
appear  different  from  what  he  really  was ;  he  wanted 
his  picture  to  be,  not  a  flattering  resemblance,  but 
a  faithful  likeness,  and  to  this,  even  the  wart  was 
necessary. 

The  biographer  often  falls  into  a  similar  error,  when 
painting  character;  by  smoothing  that  which  is  rough, 
or  omitting  that  which  is  unsightly ;  but  this  is  always 
a  mistake,  as  weakness  and  imperfection  belong  to 
all  characters,  and  no  character  is  drawn  to  the  life 
when  these  are  left  out.  To  say  that  Brother  Shaw 
had  no  defects  would  be  to  claim  more  than  can 
be  claimed  with  truth  for  any  mortal.  The  rude 
surroundings  of  his  early  life,  his  want  of  mental 
training,  his  lack  of  social  culture,  were  all  great 
drawbacks,  and  left  such  traces  that  none  who  knew 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


him  could  fail  to  see.  The  disadvantages  under  which 
he  labored  were  such  as  many  a  man  would  never 
have  surmounted,  and  the  wonder  is,  not  that  the 
rudeness,  hardships,  privations,  and  associations  of 
early  life  left  their  indelible  impress  upon  him  ;  but 
that  he  was  able  to  overcome  and  outgrow  them  to 
the  extent  he  did.  But  even  his  defects  were  his 
own.  They  did  not  arise  from  a  vain  attempt  to 
imitate  the  excellencies  of  others.  They  were  not 
failures,  but  peculiarities,  as  much  his  own,  as  the 
outlines  of  his  figure,  the  features  of  his  face,  the 
expression  of  his  eyes,  and  the  tones  of  his  voice. 
Sometimes  he  would  shock  the  sensitive  natures  of 
a  city  audience  by  his  disregard  of  stereotyped  pro- 
prieties, but  he  more  than  atoned  for  it  by  a  tender- 
ness and  pathos  which  they  were  unable  to  resist ; 
and  many  a  preacher  whose  sense  of  propriety  he 
violated  by  his  rough  logic  and  peculiar  mannerisms, 
would  gladly  have  exchanged  his  own  purer  style 
and  more  refined  manner  for  Shaw's  wonderful 
power  over  the  minds  and  hearts  of  men. 

There  were  times  when  his  tall,  angular,  and  some- 
what ungainly  figure,  assumed  an  air  of  majesty,  and 
the  message  he  delivered  lost  nothing  by  the  appear- 
ance and  manner  of  the  messenger ;  for  self  was  for- 
gotten, and  the  message  engrossed  all  his  thoughts. 
He  looked  and  spake,  as  we  may  imagine  the  prophets 
and  apostles  did  when  they  rebuked  the  people  of 
Israel  for  their  sins,  or  entreated  lost  sinners  to  be 
reconciled  to  God.    His  deep,  unfeigned  earnest- 


138 


LIFE  OF 


ness  rendered  his  hearers  unmindful  of  any  defects 
in  manner,  and  his  evident  sincerity  disarmed  crit- 
icism. Dead  though  he  be,  we  desire  the  reader  to 
see  him  as  when  Hving,  and  shall  present  him  as  he 
appeared  to  his  most  impartial  critics,  ere  death  had 
turned  all  criticism  into  tenderness,  and  eyes  that 
might  have  been  keen  to  observe  defects  were 
dimmed  with  tears.  The  following  sketch  is  from 
the  pen  of  David  Walk,  in  the  winter  of  1877: 

first  met  Brother  Shaw  in  Edinburgh,  Indiana, 
January  3d,  1863.  He  was  devoting  a  portion  of 
his  time  to  the  church  in  that  town,  and  I  think  a 
portion  to  the  church  called  New  Hope,  in  the 
country,  a  few  miles  south  of  the  former  place.  At 
all  events,  after  the  close  of  my  meeting  at  Edin- 
burgh, he  was  with  me  in  a  meeting  at  New  Hope, 
and  subsequently  at  Columbus,  the  county  seat  of 
Bartholomew  County,  still  south  of  New  Hope. 

**The  first  impression  made  upon  me  by  Brother 
Shaw  was  unique.  He  did  not  strike  me  as  possess- 
ing any  of  the  commonly-accepted  and  conventional 
characteristics  of  a  preacher ;  tall,  raw-boned,  angu- 
lar, and  awkward,  he  gave  no  promise  then  of  the 
wonderful  career  he  afterward  accomplished.  He 
seemed  to  me  to  be  a  "Jack  of  all  trades."  He  was 
agent  for  a  sewing  machine,  and  much  of  his  time 
was  spent  in  this  behalf.  In  our  walks  around  the 
town  and  country  he  would  unceremoniously  dodge 
into  a  house,  sit  down  at  the  machine,  adjust  it,  and 
then  sew  for  dear  life  on  whatever  garment  was  in 


KNOWLES  SHAW.  139 


hand.  Oftener  than  otherwise,  it  would  be  some 
article  of  a  lady's  clothing.  All  this  he  did  with  the 
utmost  coolness,  and  apparently  unconscious  of  any- 
thing unusual  in  his  conduct.  He  was  very  fond  of 
playing  the  vioHn,  and  often,  after  the  services, 
would  spend  an  hour  or  two  in  this  not  unpleasant 
diversion.  He  was  all  unschooled  in  the  convention- 
alities of  polite  society.  One  rainy  afternoon,  at 
New  Hope,  a  number  of  candidates  were  to  be  bap- 
tized. As  I  did  all  the  preaching,  he  proffered  his 
service  as  baptist.  We  repaired  to  a  beautiful  stream 
in  the  near  neighborhood,  where  the  ordinance  was 
administered.  Returning  to  the  house  of  our  host, 
he  refused  to  make  any  change  in  his  clothing,  but 
stood  and  sat  around  the  fire-place  all  the  afternoon, 
in  his  bare  feety  drying  his  clothes,  regardless  of  all 
around.  This  was  quite  shocking  to  my  notions  of 
decorum,  but  he  seemed  to  make  no  account  of  the 
circumstance.  In  some  respects,  he  seemed  to  me  to 
be  as  simple  and  unaffected  as  a  little  child,  and  in 
others,  to  be  entirely  self-conscious.  He  thought  that 
what  he  did  was  all  right,  and  better  than  any  one 
else  could  have  done  it.  He  affected,  even  at  this 
early  date,  considerable  literary  skill,  and  did  not 
hesitate  to  correct  my  grammar,  rhetoric,  and  logic. 
He  even  undertook  to  show  me  how  to  preach,  and 
succeeded  more  to  his  own  satisfaction  than  to  mine. 

After  this,  I  met  him  occasionally  at  our  general 
Conventions,  at  Cincinnati  and  elsewhere,  but  had 
no  special  or  personal  knowledge  of  him  for  many 


I40 


LIFE  OF 


years.  Notes  of  his  peculiar  fame,  and  the  repu- 
tation he  was  making  in  the  field,  from  time  to  time 
reached  me.  All  that  I  heard  and  read  concerning 
him  caused  me  to  wonder  greatly,  remembering,  as 
I  did,  his  unpropitious  beginning.  After  I  had  been 
pastor  at  Memphis  some  seven  or  eight  years,  the 
brethren,  with  my  approval,  determined  to  give  him 
a  trial  in  that  eminently  conservative,  and  socially  and 
religiously  moss-grown  city.  Soon  after  his  meeting 
closed  I  prepared  the  following  notice  of  it  for  the 
Christian  Staridard,  which  will  sufficiently  set  forth 
the  character  and  results  of  his  first  effort  there : 

"♦KNOWLES  SHAW  IN  MEMPHIS. 

'Memphis,  March  7,  1877. 
'  Dear  Brother  Errett : — I  did  not  intend  to  say  much 
about  our  late  meeting  in  this  city ;  for,  apart  from  other 
reasons,  you  have  already  published  a  lengthy  and  very 
just  notice  from  one  of  our  daily  papers.  But  from  all 
quarters  the  cry  comes :  "Tell  us  about  your  meeting." 
"  How  did  Brother  Shaw  take  in  Memphis  ?"  What  do 
you  think  of  his  work?"  etc.,  etc.  From  all  of  which  I 
am  led  to  understand,  there  is  a  general  and  widespread 
desire  for  some  information  beyond  a  mere  statement  of 
the  facts  and  results  of  the  effort.  I  shall  endeavor,  there- 
fore, to  give  an  honest  and  faithful  report  of  the  preacher, 
his  methods,  and  the  results  -  as  they  appear  to  us  here 
on  the  ground. 

' '  'In  the  first  place,  I  may  say  that  we  were  agreeably 
disappointed  in  every  way.  With  us  it  was  an  experi- 
ment. We  had  heard  so  much  of  Brother  Shaw's  eccen- 
tricities that  it  was  with  sober  misgivings  we  finally 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


141 


concluded  to  invite  his  aid.  He  came  unheralded.  No 
one  outside  of  our  church  had  so  much  as  heard  of  him. 
He  at  once  took  the  community  captive.  No  man  ever 
before  created  so  profound  an  interest  among  all  classes. 
Soon  our  large  house  was  filled  to  its  utmost  capacity, 
while  hundreds  were  turned  away  for  want  of  room.  And 
he  held  this  audience  steadily  to  the  end.  Many  of  the 
ministers  of  the  city  put  in  an  appearance — some  of  them 
very  often — and  expressed  their  hearty  sympathy  with  the 
work,  and  were  earnest  in  prayer,  and  expressions  of  good 
will,  until  Brother  Shaw  included  obedience  as  a  part  of 
the  gospel ;  then  they  dropped  him.  I  shall  always  honor 
Brother  Shaw  for  his  fidelity  to  the  whole,  round  gospel 
of  Jesus  Christ.  Amid  the  greatest  temptations  to  con- 
cede, to  modify,  to  tone  down  something  of  the  truth,  he 
stood  like  a  wall  of  fire  in  defense  of  the  whole  truth. 
No  man  was  ever  more  faithful  to  the  gospel.  I  want  this 
fact  to  be  distinctly  noted.  He  could  have  carried  the 
whole  city,  and  every  church  and  preacher  in  it,  had  he 
consented  to  stop  where  Moody,  Whittle,  and  other  cele- 
brated revivalists  stopped;  but  no :  he  preached  the  gospel 
as  it  was  preached  by  those  who  were  first  divinely  com- 
missioned to  preach  it  by  the  anointing  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
There  might  be  a  thousand  objectionable  things  in  Brother 
Shaw's  methods,  but  this  one  fact  would  make  me  over- 
look them  all.  But  is  there  anything  objectionable  ? 
Well,  that  is  largely  a  matter  of  taste.  I  have  yet  to  hear 
and  see  the  man  who  in  all  respects  is  unobjectionable 
according  to  my  ideas  of  taste  and  propriety.  I  suppose 
there  are  some  who  would  object  even  to — nie !  He  has 
some  oddities,  some  idiosyncrasies,  but  they  are  so  ob- 
viously natural  to  the  man  as  not  to  appear  very  incongru- 


142 


LIFE  OF 


ous  or  inharmonious.  I  rather  like  them.  I  would  not 
like  to  see  Brother  Errett,  or  Brother  Pendleton,  or  Brother 
Lamar,  undertake  the  same  pulpit,  philological  and  rhe- 
torical feats;  but  I  see  no  impropriety  in  Brother  Shaw- 
attempting  them,  for  he  succeeds  in  them ;  whereas,  the 
brethren  above  mentioned  would  make  sorry  work  of  it. 
For  example :  Imagine  Brother  Pendleton  leaving  the 
pulpit  in  the  midst  of  his  sermon,  and,  going  to  the 
remotest  corner  of  the  house,  mounting  a  bench,  and 
singing  with  most  lugubrious  air  and  whine — 
*'  *  How  tedious  and  tasteless  the  hours,* 
in  illustration  of  the  half-hearted,  back-slidden  Christian, 
who  needs  a  protracted  meeting  every  six  months  in  order 
to  keep  any  life  in  him. 

'  But  when  the  protracted  meeting  has  well  advanced, 
this  same  remote-corner-Christian  rushes  to  the  front, 
singing  with  great  vim — 

"  '  Am  I  a  soldier  of  the  cross?' 
just  as  Brother  Shaw  did,  suiting  the  action  to  the  word. 
Well,  this  is  precisely  what  he  did,  and  what  is  more,  he 
did  it  successfully. 

*  Of  course,  his  ability  to  sing  adds  greatly  to  his  power, 
and  is  a  large  element  to  his  success  in  attracting  and 
holding  great  audiences.  He  is  as  good  a  singer  as 
either  Sankey  or  the  lamented  Bliss,  an  infinitely  better 
preacher  than  either  Moody  or  Whittle.  There  !  I  have 
done  it.  But  if  anybody  can  show  to  the  contrary,  let 
him  do  it. 

' '  'I  do  not  mean  to  be  understood  as  approving  all  Brother 
Shaw  does  and  says.  Far  from  it.  I  would  not  like  him 
as  a  regular  diet  all  the  year  round.  He  would  be  none 
the  less  useful  and  powerful  were  he  to  leave  off  some 


KNOWLES  SHAW 


things,  while  at  the  same  time  he  would  conciliate  hyper- 
critical enemies  of  our  cause.  I  told  him  this  eight  or 
ten  times,  but  I  do  not  think  he  heard  me.  He  is  too 
much  absorbed  in  his  work,  and  himself,  to  listen  to  the 
suggestions  of  age  and  wisdom.  He  has,  I  observe,  a 
very  fine  opinion  of  Knowles  Shaw.  He  will  read  these 
strictures,  laugh  at  them,  and  the  first  time  he  meets  me 
slap  me  on  the  shoulder  and  say  :  Walk,  that  was  a  good 
thing.  Ha,  ha,  ha !"  And  fehat  will  be  the  end  of  it. 
He  will  die  thinking  it  a  good  joke,  and  never  will  believe 
that  I  am  in  solemn  earnest. 

He  repeats  himself  too  much.  Many  of  his  most 
effective  sermons  are  marred  by  personal  allusions,  which, 
often  repeated,  lose  their  original  force.  Twenty-seven 
times  he  referred  to  the  fact  that  he  had  made  five  funeral 
marches  to  the  grave  from  his  broken  and  desolated  home. 
The  first  time  he  told  this,  it  took  the  house  by  storm. 
Sixty-nine  times  he  stated  that  in  early  life  he  fiddled  for 
balls,  parties,  and  theaters.  He  intended  to  illustrate  the 
point  that  he  was  a  great  sinner  saved  by  grace.  Well, 
for  the  first  forty  or  fifty  times  this  fact  of  his  youthful 
history  had  considerable  power,  but  after  that  it  became 
monotonous.  But  he  can  not  be  judged  by  any  ordinary 
rule.  Perhaps  if  he  were  to  leave  off  the  things  of  which 
I  complain,  he  would  be  shorn  of  his  power,  and  become 
altogether  like  the  rest  of  us — weary,  respectable  plodders, 
who  utterly  fail,  with  all  our  refinement  and  elegance,  to 
stir  the  public  heart. 

'To  show  my  sincerity,  I  will  say  that,  if  it  were  God's 
will,  I  would  be  glad  to  exchange  my  gifts  for  his.  But  it 
does  appear  to  me  that  if  I  could  sing  as  he  can,  and 
preach  as  he  can,  I  would  not  need  some  of  the  accesso- 
ries which  he  deems  indispensable. 


144 


LIFE  OF 


'  What  was  the  outcome  of  all  this?  Well,  hundreds 
of  people  heard  the  gospel  who  never  heard  it  before. 
And  an  interest  was  created  in  behalf  of  the  cause  in  tliis 
city  that  never  existed  before. 

*''We  love  Brother  Shaw  so  much  that  we  are  deter- 
mined to  have  him  again.  We  have  actually  engaged 
him  for  another  meeting,  and  the  time  is  set,  but  for  pru- 
dential reasons  we  want  nothing  said  about  the  time. 

' '  '  We  are  going  to  make  one  more  effort  to  win  men  to 
Christ.  We  need  and  we  ask  the  prayers  of  the  whole 
brotherhood.  Brethren,  pray  that  God  will  give  us  the 
victory  in  this  wicked  city.  David  Walk.'  " 

To  many,  the  above  may  seem  sevcrefy  just,  but  it 
has  the  merit  of  being  a  faithful  picture,  which  those 
who  knew  Brother  Shaw  best  will  not  be  slow  to 
recognize.  He  said  of  it  himself  that  it  was  the  best, 
most  appreciative,  just  notice,  that  had  ever  been 
written  of  him.  Brother  Walk  adds:  "He  was  my 
guest  five  weeks,  slept  every  night  in  my  house,  and 
ate  nearly  every  meal  at  my  table,  and  whatever 
criticisms  either  I  or  any  member  of  the  family  had 
to  make  concerning  his  peculiarities,  all  were  agreed 
in  the  judgment  often  expressed:  'Brother  Shaw  is 
a  ^ood  man.'  " 

Brother  Shaw's  own  brief  report  of  the  above 
meeting  is  as  follows:  "I  held  a  meeting  of  near 
three  weeks  with  the  Linden  Street  Church  in  Mem- 
phis, Tennessee,  of  which  Brother  Walk  has  been 
the  faithful  and  successful  pastor  for  over  eight 
years,  which  closed  on  the  14th  inst.    There  were 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


twenty-eight  confessions,  and  during  the  entire  meet- 
ing the  house,  which  has  capacity  to  seat  seven  hun- 
dred, was  filled,  and  sometimes  hundreds  had  to  go 
away.  Brother  Walk  is  the  best  manager  of  a  church 
I  have  found  in  my  rounds.  Backed  by  a  good,  intel- 
ligent, and  zealous  board  of  elders  and  deacons,  suc- 
cess is  not  wonderful.  I  have  received  a  call  to 
return  and  hold  a  two  weeks'  meeting  before  long, 
as  we  could  hardly  call  the  other  work  finished." 

The  Memphis  papers  speak  of  Brother  Shaw's 
work  with  warm  and  unqualified  approval,  as  the 
following  extracts  show: 

«'TPIE  SINGING  EVANGELIST. 

''Our  religious  reporter  was  in  attendance  at  the  Linden 
Street  Christian  Church  both  morning  and  night  on  Sunday 
last.  He  had  heard  much  of  the  marvelous  revivalist  now 
conducting  services  in  that  sanctuary ;  and  he  concluded 
to  see  and  hear  for  himself,  and  then  to  favor  the  public 
with  his  views  of  the  situation.  Mr.  Shaw  is  a  tall,  raw- 
boned,  rather  ungainly  specimen  of  the  genus  homo, 
standing  about  six  feet  four  inches  in  his  boots.  His  hair 
and  beard  are  very  luxuriant  as  to  quantity,  and  dark 
auburn  as  to  color.  His  articulation,  while  unusually 
rapid,  is  at  the  same  time  wonderfully  distinct.  In  style 
and  manners  he  defies  all  known  and  unknown  rules. 
He  is  emphatically  a  law  unto  himself.  He  gets  right 
down  to  business  without  wasting  any  time  in  prosy  pre- 
hminaries.  The  first  sentence  is  of  as  much  consequence, 
and  likely  to  be  as  sharp,  as  any  that  follows.  He  is 
intensely  in  earnest.  He  evidently  believes  the  message 
10 


146 


LIFE  OF 


which  he  brings  to  others.  It  absorbs  and  controls  every 
faculty  of  his  mind,  and  exercises  every  muscle  of  his 
body.  He  is  very  plain  and  practical.  A  little  child  can 
easily  follow  him.  We  judge  that  he  lays  no  claim  what- 
ever to  being  a  chaste  and  finished  orator,  for  such  he 
certainly  is  not;  but  it  must  be  confessed  that  he  wields  a 
strange  power  over  his  audience  —  one  moment  the  face  is 
wreathed  in  smiles,  the  next  the  eyes  are  overflowing  with 
tears. 

As  to  his  ability  as  a  singer  we  have  heard  a  variety  of 
opinions  expressed  by  those  competent  to  judge,  the  aver- 
age opinion  being  that  he  is  about  the  equal  of  the  late 
Mr.  Bliss.  It  is  agreed  that  in  the  low  notes  Mr.  Bliss  was 
his  superior,  but  in  the  highest  register,  and  in  strength, 
volume,  and  sweetness,  Mr.  Shaw  is  greatly  the  superior 
of  the  lamented  Bliss.  This,  of  course,  gives  him  an 
immense  advantage  over  the  mere  preacher,  for  long  be- 
fore he  has  announced  his  subject,  he  has  sung  his  audience 
into  deep  and  earnest  sympathy  with  himself. 

But  our  readers  must  go  and  judge  for  themselves.  No 
brief  notice,  such  as  we  are  able  to  give,  will  do  justice 
to  this  really  extraordinary  man.  They  will  see  and  hear 
some  things  which  they  will  doubtless  not  approve;  but, 
on  the  other  hand,  they  can  not  but  be  benefited  by  the 
pure,  and  wholesome  teachings  of  the  evangelist.  The 
audiences  were  immense  on  both  occasions,  and  the  ca- 
pacity of  the  house  is  likely  to  be  taxed  more  than  it  can 
pay.  We  suggest  to  the  deacons,  Greenlaw  Opera-house. 
Give  the  masses  a  chance.'* 

The  progress  of  the  meeting  was  noticed  as  below  : 

*'The  work  of  evangeHsm,  under  the  conduct  of  Knowles 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


Shaw,  still  continues  at  the  Linden  Street  Church.  On 
Sunday  night  the  audience  exceeded  nine  hundred  per- 
sons, one-third  of  whom  stood  during  the  long  services, 
and  as  many  turned  away  because  of  lack  of  comfortable 
accommodations.  The  preacher  took  for  his  subject, 
*  Decision  of  Character,'  addressing  himself  particularly 
to  young  men  and  women.  He  delineated  with  unerring 
certainty,  with  the  skill  of  a  deft  limner,  the-  characteris- 
tics essential  to  the  perfection  of  manly  or  womanly  virtue, 
and  to  their  value  as  influential  entities  in  the  social,  moral 
and  religious  sphere.  Mr.  Shaw  seized  hold  of  Daniel 
and  Esther,  of  Scripture,  as  models  of  decision  of  charac- 
ter, pointing  out  what  in  them  evoked  their  useful  and 
influential  development.  This  lecture  was  listened  to  with 
seeming  interest  by  the  congregation,  among  which  our 
reporter  counted  ten  lawyers,  two  judges,  eight  doctors  of 
medicine,  and  six  ministers  of  the  gospel.  The  services 
of  last  evening  were  also  largely  attended,  the  theme  of 
the  sermon  being,  'Almost  Persuaded.'  Upon  this  occa- 
sion some  half-dozen  persons  were  added  to  the  church  by 
open  confession.  We  understand  that  the  meetings  will 
continue  during  the  succeeding  nights  of  the  week,  the 
subject  for  this  evening  being,  '  Honoring  God.' 

^  ^  :^  :^  ^  jfc 

"The  revival  services,  conducted  by  Mr.  Shaw,  at  the 
Linden  Street  Christian  Church,  were  again  largely  at- 
tended last  night.  The  house  was  crowded  to  its  utmost 
capacity.  Many  persons  stood  during  the  exercises,  while 
others,  not  being  accommodated  with  seats,  went  away. 
Mr.  Shaw,  selecting  a  text  from  Amos,  one  of  the  minor 
prophets,  the  fourth  chapter  and  twelfth  verse,  warned  the 
people  to  'Prepare  and  meet  their  God.'    The  discourse 


148 


LIFE  OF 


was  well  balanced  between  the  individual  experiences  and 
observations  of  the  speaker  and  the  way  of  the  prepara- 
tion which  every  man  should  adopt  in  order  to  meet  the 
great  'Judge  of  the  quick  and  the  dead.'  The  sermon 
was  strongly  doctrinal,  involving  in  its  development  the 
tenets  or  principles  of  the  church  represented  by  the  evan- 
gelist. He  defined  with  frankness,  fullness,  and  clearness 
his  views  in  reference  to  the  purposes  of  baptism,  without 
in  any  way  alluding  to,  or  discussing  the  modes  of  admin- 
istration of  this  solemn  ordinance.  He  stated  that  he 
dwelt  particularly  upon  the  subject  of  a  'preparation  be- 
cause of  the  fact  that  his  people  (the  Campbellites)  had 
been  misunderstood  as  to  the  intent  and  purposes  of  bap- 
tism under  their  practices.  The  attention  of  the  congre- 
gation was  marked  by  courtesy,  and  if  the  vanity  of  the 
preacher  can  be  excited  by  the  crowd  and  interest  mani- 
fested, then  the  evangelist  should  be  satisfied.  Some 
additions  were  made  to  the  church  at  the  close  of  the 
exercises. 

*'Mr.  Shaw  held  forth  last  night  at  the  Linden  Street 
Christian  Church  to  a  crowded  house,  the  subject  of  his 
discourse  having  been,  'Heavenly  Recognition.'  The 
speaker  presented  the  subject  clearly,  although  the  discourse 
was  less  replete  than  any  preceding  one  with  scriptural 
citations.  He  handled  the  matter  most  interestingly,  and, 
at  times,  spoke  with  deep  feeling  and  touching  pathos. 
His  sermon  consumed  one  hour  and  five  minutes,  but  the 
audience  manifested  no  impatience,  nor  disposition  to  re- 
tire before  the  conclusion.  On  the  other  hand,  a  large 
body  of  the  congregation  lingered  after  the  closing  to  talk 
with  Mr.  Shaw,  and  with  one  another.    He  announced 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


149 


that  since  beginning  the  services  of  the  evening,  he  had 
been  handed  a  copy  of  the  last  song  ever  composed  by  his 
friend  and  late  singing  companion,  Mr.  P.  P.  BHss,  and 
though  entirely  new  to  himself,  he  would  sing  the  same 
this  evening.  That,  as  this  sweet  singer  in  Israel  was  held 
in  such  affectionate  remembrance  by  the  people  of  Mem- 
phis, and  everything  connected  with  his  life  and  death 
would  be  so  gladly  received  by  them ;  at  the  close  of 
to-night's  services,  he  would  give  to  the  audience  some 
facts,  both  of  the  work  of  Mr.  Bliss,  and  also  everything 
that  had  been  discovered  in  reference  to  the  last  moments 
of  the  lamented  man  and  wife,  and  the  memorial  services 
after  their  death.  The  subject  of  Mr.  Shaw's  discourse, 
to-night,  will  be:  'The  fullness  of  the  times,  or  the  great 
consummation.'  It  is  probable  that  the  labors  of  the 
evangelist  in  this  field  will  then  close,  as  he  has  engage- 
ments elsewhere." 

From  the  above  we  gather  that  the  interest  was 
great,  but  by  no  means  unusual.  Even  greater 
interest,  and  much  greater  success,  had  attended  his 
labors  at  St.  Louis,  Covington,  South  Bend,  and 
many  other  places,  before  that  visit ;  and  not  long 
after  New  Orleans  was  visited,  and  did  not  prove  an 
exception  to  the  rule. 

We  can  not  close  this  chapter  without  calling 
attention  to  the  fact,  that  Brother  Walk's  first  im- 
pressions with  regard  to  Shaw  were  received,  when 
the  latter  had  been  but  a  short  time  before  the  pub- 
lic, and  these  may  have  had  more  influence  than  he 
was  aware  of  in  regard  to  the  views  expressed  in  the 


150  LIFE  OF 

latter  part  of  his  article.  We  think  it  therefore  emi- 
nently proper  to  give  the  views  of  other  competent 
judges  with  regard  to  him  when  he  had  outgrown 
much  that  Brother  Walk  noted  in  the  early  part  of 
his  career,  which  we  shall  do  in  the  next  chapter. 


/ 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


The  Editor  of  the  Christian  Preacher  on  Shaw's  Method  and 
Manner — Elder  Caskets  Review  of  Wilmeth^  and  Opinion 
of  Shaw — The  Editor's  Rejoinder. 

It  is  quite  likely  that  Brother  Shaw  never  had 
fuller  and  freer  command  of  his  powers  than  during 
the  meeting  at  Memphis,  which  is  described  at  length 
in  the  preceding  chapter.  He  was  then  forty-three 
years  of  age,  mature  in  body  and  mind,  and  as  full 
of  purpose  as  ever  to  spend  the  remainder  of  his  life 
in  his  chosen  work.  In  the  next  year,  which  none 
who  knew  him  thought  would  be  his  last,  before  his 
vigor  had  departed  or  any  of  his  powers  had  suffered 
a  sad  eclipse,  he  labored  with  wonted  zeal  and  with 
great  success ;  and  during  his  last  meeting  at  Dallas, 
Texas,  he  was  described  as  follows  by  two  different 
writers,  who  never  had  met  him  till  then.  The  first 
was  the  editor  of  the  Christian  Preacher^  published  at 
Dallas,  Texas,  who  thus  sketched  him  in  the  col- 
umns of  his  paper: 

*'Knowles  Shaw,  as  a  revivalist  and  musician,  has  a 
national  name.    He  is  tall  and  well  proportioned,  has  a 


152 


LIFE  OF 


searching  eye,  a  cheerful  countenance  and  luxuriant  whis- 
kers, and  is  past  the  meridian  of  Hfe. 

"  He  has  preached  about  nineteen  years  ;  in  almost  all 
the  States  of  the  Union;  and  has  baptized  over  eleven 
thousand.  He  is  the  author  of  a  number  of  music-books; 
sings  in  several  languages;  and  plays  on  many  kinds  of 
instruments.  He  reasons  like  Paul;  is  as  bold  as  Peter; 
and  as  tender  as  John.  He  is  natural  like  Shakespeare ; 
witty  like  Swift;  and  pathetic  like  Burns.  He  is  as  inde- 
pendent as  Beecher;  as  idiosyncratic  as  Talmage;  and  as 
indefatigable  as  Moody.  He  sings  with  the  energy  of 
Sankey;  and  plays  with  the  action  of  Blind  Tom.  He 
can  support  the  character,  in  the  same  scene,  of  clergy- 
man and  clown,  actor  and  ape,  nightingale  and  parrot. 
During  his  discourse,  you  may  see  him  pacing  the  plat- 
form singing  some  thrilling  song  of  Zion,  or  seated  by  the 
organ  playing  some  touching  sentimental  ballad.  You 
may  behold  him  on  bended  knee,  before  some  cruel  king, 
in  tender  tones  imploring  mercy ;  or  perched  upon  the 
end  of  a  bench,  off  in  the  amen  corner,  stiff  as  a  poker 
and  cold  as  a  midnight  spook,  burlesquing  the  lukewarm 
Christian  to  the  tune  of 

♦* '  How  tedious  and  tasteless  the  hours.' 
You  may  behold  the  audience  baptized  in  tears,  while  he 
stands  in  memory  by  the  bed-side  of  a  beautiful  dying 
daughter,  who  says,  'I'm  going  home,  dear  father,  and 
after  a  few  more  years  of  toil  and  tears  you'll  follow  me ; ' 
or  you  may  see  them  convulsed  with  laughter,  as  he  por- 
trays, in  pantomime,  with  walled  eyes  and  distorted  coun- 
tenance, gestures  and  grips,  grimaces  and  grins,  a  balky 
horse  or  a  bad  boy." 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


The  second  article  shows  that  the  first  impression 
was  strengthened  by  his  subsequent  efforts: 

Brother  Shaw  has  been  with  us  a  month,  and  has 
added  more  than  a  hundred  to  the  Commerce  Street  con- 
gregation. At  other  places,  he  has  added,  in  the  course 
of  a  single  meeting,  several  hundred.  During  a  ministry 
of  twenty  years,  he  has  averaged  over  five  hunded  addi- 
tions a  year.  Besides  these  *  visible  results '  of  his  preach- 
ing, of  course  the  good  seed  is  sown  in  many  other  hearts, 
and  the  church  is  generally  strengthened  in  its  faith  and 
zeal.  These  extraordinary  results  make  us  inquire,  What 
are  the  secrets  of  his  success  ?  It  has  been  suggested  by 
some  of  the  Baptists  that  they  create  a  chair  in  their 
Theological  Seminary  to  teach  how  to  hold  revivals;  and 
one  of  their  editors  mentions  Major  Penn  as  a  suitable 
professor  to  fill  that  chair.  Certainly  Knowles  Shaw 
would  make  a  better  Professor  of  Revivals  than  Major 
Penn ;  and,  as  he  can  not  take  the  time  from  evangeliz- 
ing to  formally  fill  a  collegiate  chair,  we  propose,  in  lieu 
of  that,  to  gather  up  for  our  readers  some  of  the  golden 
filings  that  fall  from  his  evangelistic  machinery.  First,  he 
wins  the  people's  ears  before  he  woos  their  hearts.  His 
reputation  gives  him  the  vajitage  ground  in  this.  But  a 
reputation  can  not  hold  a  congregation  after  a  first  hear- 
ing, if  a  reputation  is  all  the  speaker  possesses.  He  says 
that  if  he  were  called  upon  to  give  the  three  elements  of 
success,  he  would  say,  *  First,  work;  second,  work; 
third,  WORK.'  So  he  works  from  the  commencement 
of  a  meeting  to  its  close — all  over  and  in  every  way.  He 
sometimes  sees  to  the  proper  ventilation  of  the  room,  and 
to  the  seating  of  the  audience.    He  plays  the  instrument 


154 


LIFE  OF 


and  leads  the  music.  He  reads  the  Scripture,  and  com 
merits  and  illustrates  as  he  reads.  He  does  some  of 
praying  and  all  of  the  preaching.  If  another  baptizes^  ne 
directs  and  assists  actively  all  the  time.  With  ali  the 
assistance  that  a  live  congregation  can  give,  yet  there  *i  ai 
great  a  proportion  of  Shaw  in  one  of  his  meetings  as  there 
is  water  on  the  world.  While  something  may  be  lost  by 
not  having  others  to  labor,  this  very  individuality  always 
attracts  the  people;  and,  being  a  'master  of  assemblies,' 
he  leads  them  along,  step  by  step,  without  offense.  Sec- 
ondly, he  utilizes  music  to  its  utmost.  Not  only  does  he 
train  the  audience  rigidly  upon  new  songs,  and  the  proper 
rendition  of  the  more  familiar;  but  occasionally  he  sand- 
wiches into  the  rehearsal  a  solo,  or  into  the  sermon  a  sen- 
timental, thereby  stirring  the  emotions  from  their  very 
depths.  Although  his  voice  is  somewhat  impaired  by 
protracted  preaching,  yet  he  sings  with  such  remarkable 
clearness  and  precision  that  it  gready  compensates  for  the 
lack  of  volume  and  tone.  The  chief  charm  of  his  singing 
is  his  invariably  distinct  enunciation.  Every  word  is  dis- 
tinctly heard,  though  it  be  a  whisper.  His  music  bears 
the  precious  truth  straight  to  the  heart.  If  he  seems  to 
unscientifically  snap  off  a  strain,  it  is  simply  to  put  a 
cracker  on  it  which  will  be  felt.  Though  we  have  heard 
finer  vocalists,  we  scarcely  have  met  a  man  who  could  so 
successfully  sing  his  sentiments  into  the  souls  of  the  peo- 
ple. Thirdly,  his  preaching  is  attractive,  instructive,  and 
powerful.  He  has  much  of  'the  milk  of  human  kindness* 
in  his  heart;  so  that  his  sermons  abound  in  touching  illus- 
trations from  experience  and  observation.  The  hand  of 
affliction  has  been  laid  heavily  upon  him,  having  buried 
out  of  his  sight  in  one  year  five  of  his  family ;  and,  knoiv* 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


ing  the  sorrows  of  this  hfe,  he  can  persuade  men  to  pre- 
pare for  a  better.  He  depends  largely  upon  the  power  of 
God's  word.  He  does  not  trust  to  his  singing,  his  prayers, 
and  his  illustrations,  but  to  the  incorruptible  seed  to  en- 
liven the  sinner.  His. preaching  is  equally  divided  between 
saint  and  sinner,  and  he  is  as  pointed  to  the  saint  as  the 
sinner.  His  scathing  of  sin  in  professed  Christians  can 
not  be  too  highly  commended,  while  it  is  all  done  in  a 
kind  spirit  and  an  inoffensive  style.  His  language  is  gen- 
erally beyond  criticism,  and  is  often  very  elegant,  though 
sometimes  tinctured  with  uncanonized  words.  He  is  not 
pedantic,  makes  no  pretensions  10  profundity;  being 
rather  desirous  of  making  things  plain  and  pointed. 
Finally,  he  is  true  to  one  of  his  mottoes,  '  Much  go-ahead- 
itiveness  and  never-let-go-itiveness.'  He  continues  a  meet- 
ing till  it  is  concluded,  and  only  concludes  it  when  he 
concludes  there  are  no  others  to  be  reached  by  it.  This 
is  an  improvement  upon  what  is  common  in  our  country. 
We  surrender  the  field  as  soon  as  we  have  thrown  up  a 
few  intrenchments.  We  sow  a  few  seeds,  generally,  and 
leave  them  to  germinate  and  die  without  watering  or  cul- 
tivation. He  sometimes  remains  with  a  congregation  for 
a  year  after  an  ingathering,  which,  in  entirely  new  congre- 
gations, we  deem  eminently  necessary  and  scriptural. 

"  Much  is  yet  to  be  learned  by  us  about  planting  the 
gospel ;  and  it  is  hoped  that  the  above  may  help  us  on  to 
some  better  knowledge  of  preaching  the  truth.  While  in 
every  man  we  may  find  faults,  we  do  not  wish  to  copy;  we 
should  ever  be  ready  to  separate  the  golden  wheat  from 
the  worthless  chaff,  and  appropriate  it  for  good.  It  would 
be  gross  presumption  to  say  that  we  could  learn  nothing 
from  Knowles  Shaw,  who  has  stirred  Dallas  to  its  depths. " 


156  LIFE  OF 

Some  expressions  in  the  foregoing  were  regarded 
as  ill-chosen,  and  called  forth  the  following  from 
Elder  T.  W.  Caskey,  well  known  through  the  South 

as  one  of  the  ablest  preachers  in  the  State : 

CASKEY  ON  SHAW. 

''Sherman,  Texas,  May  18,  1878. 
Brotlur  Mac: — Some  of  Brother  Shaw's  friends  are 
somewhat  grieved  at  your  pen-portrait  of  the  man,  but 
I  think  they  are  more  sensitive  than  need  be,  for  you 
attribute  to  him  the  leading  and  best  element  of  many  of 
the  greatest  names  that  have  brightened  the  pages  of  sacred 
or  profane  history :  Paul,  Peter,  John,  Shakespeare, 
Swift,  Burns,  Beecher,  Moody,  Talmage,  Sankey,  and 
last,  but  not  least  in  his  line,  Blind  Tom,  the  greatest 
musical  genius  of  the  world.  The  man  who  possesses 
these,  certainly  stands  upon  the  head  of  the  highest  of  his 
fellows.  Give  me  but  half  of  these,  and  I'll  agree  to  pack 
the  whole  spotted  breeches  family,  the  whole  monkey 
tribe,  the  parrot  and  all  other  discordant-noted  birds, 
together  with  Blind  Tom  and  the  whole  African  race 
thrown  in.  The  versatility  of  genius  ascribed  to  him  is 
simply  wonderful,  not  more  so  than  true. 

"If  any  injustice  is  done  to  Brother  Shaw,  it  is  in  the 
latter  part  of  your  article,  where  you  use  the  terms  latitu- 
dinarianism,  preaching  through  envy,  etc.  If  you  intend 
this  to  to  apply  to  Brother  Shaw,  you  have  done  him  great 
injustice,  and  I  know  you  will  make  the  aincnde  horwrabk ; 
for  doctrinally,  as  far  as  I  have  heard  him,  he  is  as  narrow- 
gauged  as  Brother  Ben.  Franklin  would  have  him  to  be. 
As  to  his  eccentricities,  they  are  God-given  and  not  as- 
sumed, and  to  accomplish  one-half  as  much  as  he  does  I 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


would  agree  to  shoulder  them  all  and  as  many  more. 
Brother  Shaw  says  and  does  many  things  I  could  not  do  if 
I  would,  and  would  not  if  I  could,  and  which,  of  course, 
I  do  not  approve;  but  this  is  not  the  trouble  with  me. 
My  trouble  is  T.  W.  Caskey  does  the  same,  and  I  cer- 
tainly don't  want  him  to  come  to  my  standard. 

"If  Brother  Shaw  preaches  Christ  through  envy,  then 
my  prayer  to  God  is,  to  greatly  increase  his  envy ;  if  the 
Commerce  Street  Church  is  having  it  done  through  envy, 
and  are  working  as  they  have  been  and  are,  then  may  a 
Pentecostal  shower  of  it  fall  upon  all  the  churches  in  Texas. 

*'T.  W.  Caskey." 

This  called  forth  the  following  explanation  : 

'*In  our  article,  alluded  to  above,  some  things  were  said 
which  no  doubt  jarred  upon  the  ears  of  some  persons. 
On  the  contrary,  however,  it  struck  a  vein  of  approval 
and  applause  in  the  hearts  of  a  host  of  brethren. 

**The  comparison  to  Blind  Tom  was  not  made  because 
he  is  a  negro,  but  because  he  is  a  musical  genius,  well 
known  and  universally  admired.  The_  point  of  compari- 
son was  not  as  to  color,  sense,  or  profession,  but  as  to 
'action.'  It  is  sometimes  said  of  those  who  can  not  re- 
frain from  dancing  when  they  hear  music,  that  their  music 
is  located  in  their  feet;  but  Brother  Shaw's  is  located  all 
over  him.  His  body  sways  to  and  fro,  like  a  tall  pine  in 
a  storm ;  his  head  bobs  up  and  down  and  about,  his  long 
beard  following  like  the  train  of  a  comet ;  his  face  is  now 
bowed  horizontal  with  the  floor  and  then  upturned  to  the 
ceiling;  his  eyes  turning  by  times  to  all  points  of  the  com- 
pass ;  and  his  left  hand  has  a  peculiar  crow-hop  from  the 
key-board  of  the  organ  over  his  head,  there  hanging,  while 


158 


LIFE  OF 


he  dwells  on  a  long  note.  This  is  Knowles  Shaw,  and  it 
reminds  us  of  Blind  Tom's  action  at  the  piano,  and  his 
after  clapping  of  hands.  As  to  the  expressions  'clown,' 
'ape,'  'parrot,'  etc.,  they  were  simply  the  most  suitable 
■words  by  which  to  give  forcible  expression  to  the  facts 
in  the  case. 

"We  did  not  accuse  Brother  Shaw  of  latitudinarianism, 
but  of  the  ^semblance  of  latitudinarianism.'  In  the  earlier 
part  of  his  meeting  he  spoke  of  his  preaching  having  re- 
sulted in  some  places  in  adding  members  to  the  Baptist 
and  Methodist  Churches  as  well  as  to  his  own ;  used  the 
term  '  Campbellism '  in  such  a  way  that  opposers  quoted 
him  as  sanctioning  its  use;  and  now  and  then  ridiculed 
such  principles  as,  'Where the  Bible  speaks,  we  speak;  and 
where  the  Bible  is  silent,  we  are  silent. '  Be  it  said  to  his 
praise,  however,  that  the  inferences  drawn  from  such  slip- 
shod expressions  have  been  chiefly  dispelled  by  plain  and 
pointed  discourses,  upon  first  principles  and  lucid  and 
touching  lectures  upon  Christian  duty.  He  fights  carnality 
and  uncleanness  with  all  the  vim  that's  in  him.  He  even 
gave  Brother  Caskey  some  sharp  raps  on  the  knuckles  for 
chewing  his  quid  and  squirting  his  tobacco  juice.  The 
dance  and  the  dram-shop  receive  no  mercy  from  his  hands; 
and  right  well  did  we  enjoy  his  thunderbolts  against  them. 
He  can  beat  the  man  that  makes  them,  telling  temperance 
anecdotes." 

No  man  of  ordinary  abilities  could  have  called 
'  forth  such  unstinted  praise  as  this  from  strangers ; 
and  one  of  them,  Elder  Caskey,  says  that  before 
hearing   him  he  had   been   somewhat  prejudiced 
against  him  by  the  reports  he  had  heard  with  regard 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


to  Ills  eccentricities  and  peculiarities.  Not  only  was 
this  prejudice  removed  by  what  he  saw  and  heard, 
but  he  d'iclared,  "Such  a  man  I  never  met  before 
on  life's  journey,  and  never  expect  to  meet  again 
till  its  journey  ends." 

But,  apart  from  all  that  has  been  said  of  him,  we 
have  twenty  years  of  such  faithful  and  earnest  work 
as  the  world  has  seldom  seen ;  and  this  will  give  the 
best  idea  of  the  man,  and  it  is  hoped  will  lead  others 
to  a  noUle  emulation  of  his  labors. 


l6o  LIFE  OF 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


Extent  and  Variety  of  His  Labors — Extracts  from  Diary  for 
1877 — Last  Day  at  Home. 

To  give  an  idea  of  the  variety  and  extent  of 
Brother  Shaw's  labors,  it  has  occurred  to  me  that 
the  best  way  to  accomplish  this  would  be  to  review 
the  work  of  an  entire  year.  For  this  purpose  I  have 
chosen  the  year  1877;  because  it  was  one  of  his 
most  laborious  and  successful  ones,  but  because  it  is 
the  only  one  of  which  I  have  a  full  and  connected 
record.  The  first  day  of  the  year  found  him  at 
Columbus,  Mississippi,  and  the  first  lines  in  his 
diary  are,  "Lord,  help  me  this  year  to  do  more  for 
thee  than  in  any  previous  year  in  winning  souls  to 
Christ.  Convinced  of  my  weakness  and  asking  his 
strength  I  commence  the  work."  His  first  day's 
work  shows  that  he  was  instant  in  season  and  out  of 
season.    The  record  is  brief: 

"Monday,  January  i,  1877.  Deep  snow.  At  10 
A.  M.,  two  men  and  two  boys  present.     Read  psalm^ 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


I6l 


prayed,  and  sang.  7  P.  M.,  Subject,  'Watchfulness.' 
Twenty-five  persons  out;  and  some  feeling. 

Tuesday,  2d,  10  A.  M.  Twelve  persons  out.  Sub- 
ject of  discourse,  'Nearness  to  the  Cross.'  7  P.  M.  Sub- 
ject, 'Mercy  and  Obedience.'  Better  audience.  Fifty 
persons  out ;  good  attention. 

"Wednesday,  3d,  lo  A.  M.  Subject,  '  Christian  Use- 
fulness.' Twenty-one  present;  good  interest.  7  P.  M. 
Subject,  'Witness  of  the  Spirit.'  Seventy-five  present, 
among  them  Baptist  and  Presbyterian  ministers. 

" Thursday,  4th,  10  A.  M.  Subject,  'Prayer.'  Thirty- 
six  present;  good  impression  and  feeling.  Praise  God. 
7  P.  M.  Subject,  '  Glorious  Gospel.'  One  hundred 
present ;  remarkable  attention.    Praise  God. 

"Friday,  5th,  10  A.  M.  Subject,  'Patience.'  Fifty- 
four  present.  7  P.  M.  Subject,  '  Resisting  the  Spirit.' 
Good  crowd.    Thank  God. 

"Saturday,  6th,  10  A.  M.  Subject,  'Believe,  Love, 
and  Do.'  Sixty  out— two  preachers;  good  impression. 
Lord,  give  us  a  good  work  to-night.  7  P.  M.  Subject, 
'The  Faithful  Saying.'    Good  audience. 

"Sunday,  7th,  10}^  A.  M.  Subject,  'God  the  Just  and 
Justifies'  Fine  audience.  Blessed  meeting.  3  P.  M. 
Subject,  'Who  is  on  the  Lord's  Side.'  House  full.  Praise 
God.    7  P.  M.    Subject,  'Decision.'    House  crowded. 

"Monday,  8th,  10  A.  M.  Subject,  'Christian  Progres- 
sion.' Fifty  present.  7  P.  M.  Subject,  '  Prepare  to 
Meet  thy  God.'  Three  came  forward;  two  confessed 
Christ. 

"Tuesday,  9th,  10  A.   M.    Subject,  'Prerogatives.' 
Eighty  present;  one  confession.    7  P.  M.    Subject,  'Al- 
most.'   House  filled;  three  confessions. 
II 


l62 


LIFE  OF 


Wednesday,  loth,  lo  A.  M.  Subject  'Harvest* 
7  P.  M.  Subject,  Church  and  Preparatives.'  Good 
audience;  fine  attention.  Lord,  grant  us  fruit  for  Jesus' 
sake. 

''Thursday,  nth,  lo  A.  M.  Subject,  'AH  Sufficiency 
in  Christ.'  Good  audience  and  attention.  7  P.  M. 
Subject,  'What  Must  I  Do?'  Lord  help  us,  forgive  us, 
save  us,  and  bring  others  to  thy  Cross. 

"Friday,  12th,  10  A.  M.  Subject,  'Christ's  Tempta- 
tion.'   7.  "p.  M.    Subject,  '  Honoring  God.' 

"  Saturday,  13th,  10  A.  M.  Subject,  'The  Lord's  Side.' 
7  P.  M.    Subject,  '  Pilgrim's  Invitation.' 

"Sunday,  14th,  10 j4  A.  M.  Subject,  'Mediation.' 
7  P.M.  Subject,  '  Witness  of  the  Spirit'  House  crowded 
to  overflowing. 

"Monday,  15th,  10  A.  M.  Lecture.  7  P.  M.  Sub- 
ject, '  Christ  Justified. 

"Tuesday,  i6th,  10  A.  M.  Subject,  '  Evil  Communica- 
tions.'   7  P.  M.    Subject,  '  Sanctification.'   House  filled. 

"Wednesday,  17th,  10  A.  M.  Subject,  '  Morning  Star.' 
7  P.  M.    Subject,  'God's  Righteousness.' 

"Thursday,  i8th,  7  P.  M.  Subject,  'Angels.'  House 
filled. 

"Friday,  19th.  Started  for  Memphis.  O  Lord,  may 
our  Memphis  work  be  a  glorious  one  for  Jesus'  sake!" 

At  Memphis  he  remained  nearly  three  weeks, 
creating  great  interest,  and  gaining  about  thirty 
additions.  The  particulars  of  this  meeting  are  given 
elsewhere,  in  the  admirable  sketch  by  Elder  D.  Walk, 
who  was  pastor  of  the  church  at  Memphis  at  that 
time.    After  a  brief  sojourn  at  home,  during  which 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


he  preached  almost  daily,  he  went  to  Paducah,  Ken- 
tucky, on  the  22d  of  February,  and  at  once  gained 
a  large  and  attentive  hearing,  which  continued  to 
the  close.  He  was  there  some  twelve  days,  and  had 
twenty-five  additions. 

At  a  previous  meeting,  at  the  same  place,  fifty-four 
were  added.  Geo.  E.  Flower,  who  was  pastor  of  the 
church  there  at  that  time,  writes  on  February  nth, 
1879:  **No  man  ever  visited  Paducah  that  did  as 
much  good  as  Brother  Shaw.  It  has  sometimes  been 
said  that  the  members  he  took  in  were  stony-ground 
hearers.  It  was  not  the  case  with  us;  they  are  most 
of  them  faithful  yet." 

After  a  three  weeks'  sojourn  at  home,  not  to  rest, 
but  labor,  he  started,  on  the  28th  of  March,  for  New 
Orleans;  and  immediately  on  his  arrival  entered  on 
his  work.  He  soon  perceived  that  the  field  was  an 
extremely  difficult  one  in  which  to  labor,  and  would 
require  more  time  to  work  up  an  interest  than  his 
other  engagements  would  allow.  Under  these  cir- 
cumstances he  thought  it  best  not  to  make  the 
attempt.  He  was  persuaded  to  remain,  and  went  to 
work,  if  possible,  with  more  than  his  wonted  zeal 
and  earnestness;  had  hand-bills  struck,  and  went  to 
the  Mayor  of  the  city  to  obtain  permission  to  preach 
in  Lafayette  Square  on  Sunday  afternoon.  The 
Mayor  at  first  refused  permission,  but  afterward 
granted  it;  and  on  Sunday  afternoon  he  held  an 
out-door  service  in  the  Public  Square  above  men- 
tioned.   This  advertised  his  meetings  at  the  church. 


LIFE  OF 


and  the  house  was  soon  filled.  Soon  it  became 
necessary  to  fill  the  aisles  with  chairs;  then  every 
foot  of  standing-room  was  occupied,  and  many  were 
unable  to  find  even  an  entrance.  By  the  next  Sun- 
day his  meeting  was  well  advertised,  and  on  the 
afternoon  of  that  day  he  addressed  an  audience  of 
some  two  thousand  persons :  among  them  beggars, 
tramps,  roughs,  boot-blacks,  and  newsboys ;  many 
of  whom  had  never  heard  a  sermon  before,  and  who 
would  not  have  heard  that  if  they  had  been  obliged 
to  enter  a  church  to  do  so.  On  the  next  Sunday 
the  crowd  in  the  Square  was  still  larger,  and  his 
meetings  were  regarded  as  a  complete  success.  He 
made  several  temperance  speeches  while  there,  which 
were  well  received,  and  few  men  ever  made  them- 
selves more  widely  or  favorably  known  in  New 
Orleans,  within  the  space  of  less  than  three  weeks, 
than  did  Knowles  Shaw.  Eleven  persons  were  added 
to  the  church  during  this  visit,  and  impressions  were 
made  on  others  that  will  never  be  forgotten. 

The  following  notice  is  from  the  New  Orleans  Times: 

"THE  SINGING  EVANGELIST. 

Hearing  much  of  Rev.  Knowles  Shaw,  the  celebrated 
singing  evangelist,  now  visiting  this  city,  our  reporter  con- 
cluded last  night  to  see  and  hear  for  himself,  and  hence 
was  in  place  *  on  time '  at  the  Christian  Church,  corner  of 
Camp  and  Melpomene  Streets.  At  7:15  Mr.  Shaw  came 
in  with  hasty  step  and  seated  himself  at  the  organ  in  front 
of  the  congregation  and  promptly  began  the  '  thirty-min- 
utes service  of  song,'  which  precedes  each  sermon.  It 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


I6S 


was  manifest  in  a  moment  that  he  was  master  of  the  situa- 
tion—that he  understood  his  work  and  meant  to  execute 
it  promptly.  His  business-Hke  management  of  affairs  was 
the  first  noticeable  peculiarity.  'The  service  of  song' 
was  interspersed  with  solos,  in  wliich  the  evangelist,  though 
a  little  hoarse  from  cold,  evinced  wonderful  power.  This 
part  of  the  service  the  large  audience  present  seemed  to 
enjoy  very  much. 

Following  this  was  the  sermon,  in  which  the  speaker 
enforced  the  thought  that  God's  mercy  will  not  exempt 
man  from  duty — that  in  grace  as  in  nature  there  is  a  human 
as  well  as  a  divine  part. 

**Mr.  Shaw  is  marked  by  several  peculiarities.  He  is 
a  tall,  raw-boned  man,  possesses  great  powers  of  endur- 
ance, and  is  deeply  in  earnest.  He  intersperses  the  sermon 
with  many  pointed  anecdotes,  and  makes  some  powerful 
hits  at  popular  sins  in  short,  a  live  preacher;  and  though 
one  may  differ  from  him  and  object  to  his  eccentricities, 
he  will  nevertheless  admit  he  is  a  power  for  good.  Mr. 
Shaw  will  hold  open-air  services  again  in  Lafayette  Square 
next  Sunday  evening." 

After  a  few  days'  rest,  which  with  him  meant  more 
than  an  ordinary  man's  work,  he  again  visited  Mem- 
phis, where  he  remained  two  weeks  engaged  in 
active  labor,  which  resulted  in  nine  additions  to  the 
church.  Less  than  one  week  after  this  he  was  at 
Jackson,  Mississippi,  where  he  continued  two  weeks, 
holding  sometimes  three  and  even  four  services  per 
day;  some  of  them  in  the  open  air.  Twenty-eight 
were  added  to  the  church,  and  many  recruits 
obtained  for  the  temperance  army. 


LIFE  OF 


The  Jackson  Times  thus  noticed  his  meetings: 

' '  Services  were  held  at  the  Christian  Church  on  yester- 
day morning,  and  again  at  night.  Both  were  well  attended, 
especially  at  night,  when  the  house  was  filled  to  overflow- 
ing, many  persons  having  to  stand  outside  at  the  doors 
and  windows.  The  theme  was  the  "Trial  and  Crucifix- 
ion of  Christ,"  which  was  presented  in  a  peculiarly  unique 
manner.  At  the  close  of  the  services  one  young  lady 
presented  herself  for  membership,  three  persons  having 
done  so  at  the  morning  services,  making  a  total  to  this 
date  of  nineteen  persons  who  have  united  themselves  with 
that  church  during  this  meeting.  The  minister  in  charge. 
Rev.  Knowles  Shaw,  is  certainly  a  man  of  no  ordinary 
abilities,  and  we  hope  that  his  visit  to  Jackson  will  result 
in  great  good  to  the  cause  of  religion  here. 

And  again  : 

"Rev.  Knowles  Shaw,  the  Evangelist,  is  still  here  and 
his  meetings  are  becoming  daily  more  interesting.  Tre- 
mendous crowds  of  all  classes,  conditions,  and  denomina- 
tions are  attracted  to  his  services.  The  open-air  meeting 
in  front  of  the  Capitol,  on  Sunday  afternoon,  at  6  o'clock, 
was  the  largest  of  the  kind  we  have  ever  seen  in  Jackson. 
He  preached  a  powerful  sermon  and  was  listened  to  with 
marked  attention.  In  the  evening,  at  8  o'clock,  he  held 
forth  in  the  Christian  Chapel  to  a  house  overflowing  with 
attentive  and  eager  listeners.  Mr.  Shaw  is  certainly  a  man 
of  ability,  of  extraordinary  musical  powers,  and  his  ser- 
vices are  of  such  a  character  as  to  attract  the  attention  of 
all  classes.  He  will  remain  in  this  city  for  two  or  three 
days  yet,  and  we  would  advise  all  who  have  not  heard  him 
yet,  to  do  so  without  delay." 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


167 


From  Jackson  the  unwearied  laborer  returned 
home,  and  did  a  good  work  for  the  church  at  Colum- 
bus, and,  adding  some  to  its  number,  thence,  on  the 
29th  of  June,  to  West  Point,  Mississippi,  where  he 
labored  for  one  week ;  and,  after  an  interval  of  a  few 
days,  we  find  him  at  Saltillo,  Mississippi,  and,  in  a 
meeting  of  twelve  days,  had  thirty-four  additions. 
On  the  27th  of  July  he  began  a  meeting  at  Hender- 
son, Tennessee,  which  continued  one  week  ;  thirteen 
added;  and  on  the  4th  of  August,  another  at  Lynn- 
ville,  Tennessee,  of  ten  days;  seventeen  added. 

We  next  find  him,  after  being  one  day  at  home, 
at  Baldwyn,  Mississippi,  from  August  17th  to  the 
29th;  added  six  there;  and  was  at  Lawrenceburg, 
Indiana,  on  the  ist  of  September;  preached  eighteen 
days,  with  but  two  additions.  The  next  three  days 
preached  at  three  places:  Mount  Pleasant,  Harrison, 
Ohio,  and  Rushville.  Next  preached  four  times  in 
two  days  at  Little  Flat  Rock,  Indiana  ;  and,  after  five 
days  at  home,  started  for  Mount  Sterling,  Kentucky, 
which  he  reached  September  5th,  and  preached  nearly 
three  weeks,  with  twenty-one  additions.  After  a 
single  day's  rest  he  began  a  meeting  at  Covington, 
Kentucky;  had  fine  hearing,  and  twelve  additions. 
A  trip  to  his  old  home  in  Kansas  gave  him  a  few 
days  of  needed  rest.  He  reached  his  home  in  Mis- 
sissippi on  the  23d  of  November,  and  between  that 
and  the  17th  of  December  delivered  some  fourteen 
vigorous  discourses  at  home.  The  8th  of  December 
is  the  only  day  in  the  year  which  I  find  devoted  to 


LIFE  OF 


recreation.  His  last  meeting  for  the  year  was  at 
Henderson,  Tennessee,  which  did  not  terminate  until 
after  the  close  of  the  year. 

He  preached  four  hundred  and  sixty-four  times ; 
in  the  intervals  between  his  sermons  talked  almost 
incessantly,  made  the  personal  acquaintance  of  a  vast 
number  of  people,  visited  the  sick,  worked  in  the 
temperance  cause  as  if  that  were  his  whole  employ- 
ment, composed  music,  and  sang  a  number  of  times 
every  day,  more  indeed  than  if  he  had  been  a  pro- 
fessional singer,  and  added  to  the  churches  at  various 
points  two  hundred  and  twenty  persons,  nearly  all  of 
whom  he  baptized  with  his  own  hands.  More  than 
once  at  a  single  meeting  he  had  more  converts  than 
during  this  entire  year;  in  one  instance  two  hundred 
and  twenty-six  in  a  meeting  of  three  weeks'  duration. 
But  even  this  year  shows  work  such  as  but  few  men 
have  been  willing  to  undertake,  and  which  still  fewer 
have  been  able  to  accomplish. 

The  next  year,  1878,  possesses  a  mournful  interest. 
Before  the  half  of  it  had  passed  this  great  toiler's 
work  was  done.  The  first  two  da>s  of  the  year 
were  spent  in  a  meeting  at  Henderson,  Tennessee, 
and  on  the  3d  of  January  he  started  for  Paris,  Ken- 
tucky. The  meeting  there  continued  nearly  four 
weeks ;  large  crowds  came  out  to  hear  him.  The 
daily  entries  in  his  diary  show  a  very  humble  and 
prayerful  spirit.  There  were  two  baptisrns  of  spe- 
cial interest:  one  a  little  girl  ten  years  of  age, 
the  other  a  man  eighty-one  years  of  age.  During 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


169 


the  meeting  a  man  was  shot  in  a  drinking  saloon, 
which  caused  him  to  say:  **I  feel  more  and  more 
determined  to  fight  the  demon  intemperance,  the 
chief  foe  of  religion  and  morality/'  Sixty-five  addi- 
tions were  the  visible  results  of  the  meeting. 

He  reached  home  on  the  2d  of  February,  and 
remained  until  March  the  15th.  During  this  time 
he  inaugurated  the  "Murphy"  temperance  move- 
ment, amid  great  opposition  and  intense  excitement. 
His  lectures  and  songs  were  irresistible  ;  large  crowds 
gathered  wherever  he  spoke;  the  whole  city  was 
agitated,  and  in  about  six  weeks  nearly  two  thou- 
sand persons  signed  the  pledge.  He  then  preached 
a  week  at  Madison,  Mississippi,  and  went  thence  to 
Jackson,  in  the  same  State ;  addressing  great  crowds 
during  his  stay.  Here,  he  also  started  the  temper- 
ance work,  with  gratifying  results;  as  many  as  one 
hundred  signing  the  pledge  at  a  single  meeting. 
On  the  30th  of  March  he  visited  Aberdeen,  preached 
with  success,  and  aroused  the  whole  community  on 
the  temperance  question,  inducing  many  to  sign. 

On  the  13th  of  April  he  came  home;  which  proved 
to  be  his  last  visit  to  his  loved  and  dear  ones.  I  call 
it  a  visit,  because  his  arduous  and  abundant  labors 
kept  him  away  from  his  family  by  far  the  greater 
portion  of  his  time.  How  he  spent  those  few  last 
days  may  be  a  matter  of  interest.  Like  all  the  rest 
of  his  time,  they  were  spent  in  earnest  efforts  to  do 
good.  The  following  extracts  from  his  diary  tell  of 
his  endeavors  and  success : 

I 


LIFE  OF 


''Sunday,  April  14  1878,  9  A.  M.  Sunday-school 
good.  io)4  A.  M.,  preached.  Subject,  'Go  Forward.' 
Stormy.  3  P.  M.,  preached.  Subject,  'State  Privilege 
and  Character.'  (Romans  viii.  i.)  7^  P.  M.  Crowded 
house.    Subject,  'Commission.'   Two  confessions ;  grand. 

"Monday,  15th,  P.  M.  Subject,  'True  Road  to 
Happiness.'    One  confession. 

"Tuesday,  i6th,  4  P.  M.  Subject,  Romans  vi.  4. 
Baptized  three  persons.  Same  evening  lectured  on  Tem- 
perance.   Forty-seven  signed  the  pledge. 

"Wednesday,  17th,  4  P.  M.  Subject,  Romans  v.  i. 
Baptized  one.  7>^  P.  M.  Preached  on  'The  Power  of 
God.'    Good  audience. 

Thursday,  i8th,  7^^  P.  M.  Preached  on  'Sufficiency 
of  Revelation.' 

"Friday,  19th.  Stormy.  Preached  on  'Zeal.'  (2 
Corinthians  ii.  3.) 

"Saturday,  20th.    Preached  7^^  P.  M.,  on  'Election.' 

Sunday  21st.  Sunday-school  9^  A.  M.  Preached  at 
10^.  Subject,  'Glad  Tidings.'  3  P.  M.  Spoke  on 
'  ICvils  of  Drunkenness.'  Eleven  signed  the  pledge.  At 
7}^  P.  M.,  preached  on  'Freedom  by  the  Truth.'  Mon- 
day, 22d,  7^  P.  M.  Preached.  Subject,  'Moses'  hands 
held  up.' 

"Tuesday,  23d.    Temperance  meeting. 
"  Wednesday,  24th.    Preached.    Subject,  '  Christ  our 
King.' 

"Sunday,  28th.  Sunday-school  at  9  A.  M.  Preached 
at  10^  A.  M.  Subject,  '  God  revealed  in  Christ,  and 
man  reconciled  to  God. '  " 

This  was  the  last  Lord's  Day  with  his  home  church 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


171 


and  family.  His  theme  in  the  morning  was  one 
which  called  forth  all  his  powers,  the  glory  of  God 
as  seen  in  Christ ;  the  fearful  danger  of  man  through 
sin,  unless  reconciled  through  Christ,  seemed  vividly 
present.  He  said:  "It  is  only  in  obedience  to  the 
divine  law  that  man  can  reap  the  benefits  from  the 
life  cf  love,  and  death-sacrifice  of  Christ.  Indeed, 
no  man  can  justly  claim  to  be  reconciled  to  God  who 
is  not  willing  to  cease  from  his  sin  and  yield  his  will 
and  life  to  God ;  for  the  evidence  of  reconciliation 
is — subjection  to  the  law  of  God."  He  then  set  forth 
in  the  language  of  the  Scriptures,  and  closed  with 
an  exhortation  to  be  reconciled  to  God  now,  on  the 
terms  set  forth  in  his  truth.  And  then,  as  if  the 
"dark  event,"  not  distant,  ''cast  its  shadow  before," 
he  added:  "I  can  not  close  this  sermon  till  I  thank 
you  for  your  good  wishes  for  my  safety  while  away. 
How  often  will  I  think  of  you !  If  I  never  live  to 
get  back,  I  feel  pretty  sure  I'll  go  straight  home  to 
Jesus,  by  whom,  twenty-four  years  ago,  I  was  recon- 
ciled to  God."  Then,  making  a  last  appeal  to  the 
unconverted  portion  of  his  audience,  he  said:  "All 
our  days  are  fast  passing  away;  and  oh,  the  thought 
of  meeting  God  in  the  judgment,  without  reconcil- 
iation— an  enemy  !  To  be  banished  for  ever !  Hear 
the  word  of  reconciliation  now:  *0  turn  ye,  O  turn 
ye,  for  why  will  you  die?'  The  Savior  calls,  Mercy 
pleads,  the  Spirit  woos,  and  the  Father  smiles,  while 
all  glory  beams,  and  angels  are  ready  to  rejoice. 
Comey  while  you  may.'' 


1/2 


LIFE  OF 


One  who  was  present  says  of  the  discourse : 
"Nothing  I  ever  heard  could  exceed  the  pathos 
and  tenderness  of  that  sermon ;  and  so  heart-aching 
is  the  memory  of  it,  now  that  it  is  coupled  with  a 
mournful  realization,  almost  makes  me  wish  I  had 
never  heard  it.  The  scene  as  now  recalled  was  not 
unlike  that  when  Paul  parted  from  the  church  at 
Ephesus,  when  he  told  them  that  he  would  never 
return ;  and  they  sorrowed  most  of  all  for  the  words 
he  spake,  that  they  should  see  his  face  no  more." 
At  P.  M.,  the  same  evening,  he  preached  on 
the  ''Fullness  of  Times."  One  confession,  seventy 
years  old ;  the  tenth  one  received  of  that  age. 
Tuesday,  30th,  4  P.  M.  Subject,  "Self-Examin- 
ation." Immersed  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cline.  8  P.  M. 
Preached  on  "Great  Salvation."  Six  confessions. 
Wednesday,  May  ist,  4  P.  M.  Baptismal  service. 
Preached  on  "Harvest."  (Galatians  vi.  7.)  With 
this  theme  and  the  baptism  of  six  converts,  he  closed 
his  work  at  Columbus,  and  left  the  next  day  for 
Dallas,  Texas,  never  to  return. 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


Brother  Shaw's  Last  Meeting — His  Last  Day — An  Account 
of  the  Wreck. 

A  PECULIAR  interest  is  connected  with  Brother 
Shaw's  last  meeting,  an  account  of  which  has  been 
prepared  by  Elder  Kirk  Baxter,  who  was  the  pastor 
of  the  church  at  Dallas  at  that  time,  and  not  only 
took  part  in  the  meeting,  but  was  with  him  in  the 
disaster  by  which  his  useful  life  was  ended.  He 
thus  briefly  tells  the  story: 

"ELDER  KNOWLES  SHAW'S  LAST  MEETING. 

"The  earthly  labors  of  this  gifted  and  successful 
evangelist  terminated  in  a  meeting  of  five  weeks 
with  the  Commerce  Street  Christian  Church,  Dallas, 
Texas.  Arrangements  having  been  made  with  him 
a  month  before  for  a  meeting,  to  commence  on  the 
4th  of  May,  1878,  he  arrived  promptly  at  the  time^ 
direct  from  his  home,  Columbus,  Mississippi.  Several 
brethren  met  him  at  the  depot,  and  conducted  him 
to  the  residence  of  Brother  L.  D.  Myers,  one  of 


174 


LIFE  OF 


Brother  Shaw's  converts  in  Kansas,  and  a  deacon  of 
the  church  here.  Quite  a  number  had  assembled  at 
the  house  to- greet  him,  although  it  was  late  at  night. 
He  soon  was  engaged  in  earnest  conversation,  and 
had  a  good  word  for  all  present.  We  spent  an  hour 
with  him,  and  heard  him  sing  some  of  his  grand 
songs.  The  next  morning  (Lord's  Day)  a  large 
audience  greeted  him  in  our  new  meeting-house. 
His  first  discourse  was  a  grand  effort  on  'The  Fur- 
therance of  the  Gospel.'  All  went  away  delighted 
with  the  preacher  and  his  sermon.  At  night  the 
house  would  not  accommodate  the  people  who 
thronged  to  hear  him.  His  service  of  song,  thirty 
minutes  before  each  sermon,  prepared  the  hearts  of 
the  people  to  receive  the  truth  he  had  to  present. 
Thus  the  meeting  went  on  from  day  to  day,  com- 
mencing promptly  at  lo  o'clock  A.  M.,  and  8  P.  M., 
and  I  do  not  think  that  he  varied  a  moment  during 
the  entire  meeting.  After  he  had  preached  several 
sermons  he  v^as  asked  what  he  thought  as  to  the 
success  of  the  meeting.  His  reply  was :  'That  de- 
pends very  largely  upon  the  work  you  have  done ; 
the  preparation  you  made  before  I  came.  To  make 
thp  meeting  a  success  we  must  all  work,  and  work 
together.  It  is  not  viy  meeting,  but  our  meeting, 
and  we  must  all  do  our  part  to  make  it  what  it  ought 
to  be,  and  what  it  wi/lhe  if  we  do  our  duty.'  His 
'morning  talks,'  as  he  called  them,  were  intensely 
practical  and  heart-searching,  and  caused  many  a 
lukewarm  Christian  to  tremble  as  he  held  up  their 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


short-comings  before  them.  In  these  *  talks*  there 
were  always  two  characteristics  of  this  extraordinary 
man  standing  out  prominently,  namely,  his  devotion 
to  the  truth,  and  his  courage  in  exposing  sin  wherever 
he  found  it.  He  made  his  audience  feel  that  he  was 
talking  to  them,  and  not  to  some  imaginary  crowd. 
He  called  evil,  evil,  and  good,  good ;  and  his  whole 
effort  was  to  bring  his  hearers  up  to  a  higher  and 
better  life.  During  the  interval  between  the  morn- 
ing and  evening  meetings  he  literally  went  every 
day  from  the  pulpit  to  the  street,  to  the  work-shop, 
to  the  counting-room,  to  the  by-ways  and  hedges,  to 
all  parts  of  the  city,  and  would  come  to  his  work  at 
night  full  of  incidents  and  illustrations  that  he  had 
gathered  up  in  his  rambles.  He  had  a  kind  word 
for  every  one  he  met,  and  the  result  was  that  crowds 
came  to  hear  him  preach  who  never  before  had  taken 
an  interest  in  the  gospel.  I  never  saw  a  man  who 
had  such  power  over  the  people.  Men  who  had  not 
been  in  a  church  for  ten  or  fifteen  years  came  night 
after  night.  Members  of  other  churches,  who  had 
been  so  prejudiced  that  they  would  not  hear  our 
people,  came,  and  would  say  of  the  preaching,  '  It 
is  true  ;  it  is  just  what  the  Bible  teaches.' 

*'His  work  went  on  grandly  in  this  way  for  five 
successive  weeks,  during  which  he  received  calls 
from  various  parts  of  the  State  to  go  and  hold  meet- 
ings ;  also  some  urgent  calls  from  California.  The 
interest  increased  to  the  last,  and  the  immediate 
result  was  one  hundred  and  twelve  additions  to  the 


LIFE  OF 


church.  His  last  'morning  talk' was  on  the  death 
of  Moses.  He  said  he  hoped  that  God  would  not 
permit  him  to  outlive  his  usefulness;  that  he  wanted 
to  die  in  the  strength  of  manhood,  with  the  harness 
on ;  that  if  he  could  have  his  wish  he  would  like  to 
go  from  the  pulpit  to  glory;  but,  if  not,  he  wanted 
to  die  suddenly. 

**The  last  night  of  the  meeting  was  peculiarly 
solemn  and  impressive.  The  house  was  crowded  to 
overflowing,  and  many  gathered  outside  to  catch  the 
last  strain  of  song  and  hear  his  last  words.  His 
sermon  was  one  of  his  grandest  efforts.  He  then 
gave  his  farewell  talk,  which  proved  to  be  his  last 
pubUc  utterance  on  earth.  He  said  that  we  were 
soon  to  separate,  never  to  meet  on  earth ;  that  we 
knew  not  who  would  be  taken  first ;  it  may  be  my- 
self, it  may  be  your  beloved  pastor;  God  alone 
knows.  Some  of  us  may  be  dead  in  less  than  twenty- 
four  hours.  His  closing  remarks  were  beautiful — 
his  charge  to  the  preacher,  officers  and  members,  to 
the  young  converts,  to  the  world — indeed,  to  all 
present,  for  he  forgot  no  one — was  deeply  impress- 
ive. Finally,  he  asked  forgiveness,  if  in  his  zeal 
for  the  truth,  he  had  wounded  the  feelings  of  any 
one,  and,  kneeling  down,  he  offered  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  and  touching  prayers  that  I  ever  heard. 
He  then  sang  the  following  song: 

*'When  my  final  farewell  to  the  world  I  have  said, 
And  gladly  lie  down  to  my  rest : 


KNOWLES  SIIAW. 


When  softly  the  watchers  shall  say,  '  He  is  dead,* 
And  fold  my  pale  hands  o'er  my  breast; 

And  when,  with  my  glorified  vision  at  last 
The  walls  of  '  that  city '  I  see, 

Will  any  one  then  at  the  beautiful  gate 
Be  waiting  and  watching  for  me  ? 

**  There  are  little  ones  glancing  about  in  my  path, 

In  want  of  a  friend  and  a  guide  : 
There  are  dear  little  eyes  looking  up  into  mine, 

Whose  tears  might  be  easily  dried ; 
But  Jesus  may  beckon  the  children  away 

In  the  midst  of  their  grief  and  their  glee — 
Will  any  one,  then,  at  the  beautiful  gate, 

Be  waiting  and  watching  for  me  ? 

There  are  old  and  forsaken  who  Unger  awhile 

In  homes  which  their  dearest  have  left ; 
And  a  few  gentle  words  or  an  action  of  love 

May  cheer  their  sad  spirits  bereft. 
But  the  Reaper  is  near  to  the  long-standing  corn, 

The  weary  will  soon  be  set  free  — 
Will  any  one  then  at  the  beautiful  gate 

Be  waiting  and  watching  for. me? 

**0h,  should  I  be  brought  there  by  the  bountiful 

Of  Him  who  delights  to  forgive : 
Though  I  bless  not  the  weary  about  on  my  path, 

Pray  only  for  self  while  I  live, 
Methinks  I  should  mourn  o'er  my  sinful  neglect, 

If  sorrow  in  heaven  could  be ; 
Should  no  one  I  love  at  the  beautiful  gate 

Be  waiting  and  watching  for  me  ?" 


178 


LIFE  OF 


After  this,  the  audience  then  nearly  all  weeping, 

were  dismissed,  yet  they  lingered  to  take  him  once 
more  by  the  hand,  and  receive  from  him  a  warm 
*'God  bless  you."  The  last  farewell  was  said,  and 
the  noble  worker's  work  was  done. 

From  the  same  hand  we  have  an  account  of  Brother 
Shaw's  last  day,  and  tragical  death.    He  writes: 

Cleburne,  Texas,  June  7,  1879. 
Dear  Brother: — Just  one  year  ago,  to-day,  Brother 
Shaw  was  killed.  During  his  last  meeting  among  the 
numerous  calls  to  labor  at  other  places,  was  one  from 
the  church  at  McKinney,  which  sent  a  delegation  to  urge 
him  to  visit  there,  if  only  for  a  few  days.  He  replied, 
'  As  that  is  one  of  Brother  Baxter's  points  of  labor,  I  will 
go.'  His  meeting  at  Dallas  closed  on  the  night  of  the 
6th  of  June.  That  night  he  spent  at  Brother  Dr.  John- 
ston's. He  telegraphed  to  the  church  at  McKinney,  that 
he  and  I  would  be  there  the  next  day.  Early  the  next 
morning  there  was  a  tremendous  rain-fall,  lasting  two  or 
three  hours.  The  brethren  tried  to  prevail  on  him  not  to 
go  to  McKinney  that  morning,  urging  that  the  weather 
was  so  unfavorable  that  he  could  not  have  a  meeting  if  he 
went,  and  insisted  that  he  should  remain  in  Dallas  that 
day  and  rest.  He  replied,  No ;  we  have  telegraphed 
the  brethren  we  would  be  there,  and  we  must  go;  that 
there  was  no  time  for  rest  now ;  rest  would  come  by  and 
by.'  I  met  him  at  the  depot  about  seven  o'clock  that 
morning,  as  lively  and  cheerful  as  I  ever  had  seen  him. 
He  had  bought  his  ticket  and  was  ready  to  start.  We 
took  a  seat  in  the  car,  and,  in  a  few  moments,  were  off. 
We  conversed  a  few  moments  in  regard  to  the  work  at 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


179 


McKinney.  He  then  took  up  the  morning  paper  and 
looked  through  it.  While  thus  engaged,  I  left  him,  and 
went  forward  to  the  front  of  the  car,  and  was  about  to 
pass  out  to  the  coach  ahead,  when  some  one  called  me  by 
name.  I  turned,  and  saw  a  Methodist  minister,  Mr.  Mal- 
loy,  whom  I  had  known  years  before  in  Arkansas.  I  sat 
down  by  him,  and  spent  some  time  in  conversation.  He 
asked  me  about  our  meeting  in  Dallas,  and  Brother  Shaw. 
I  told  him  that  Mr.  Shaw  was  on  the  train,  and  just  at 
that  moment  caught  his  eye,  and  beckoned  to  him,  and 
he  came  to  where  we  were  seated.  I  introduced  him  to 
Rev.  Mr.  Malloy,  and  gave  him  my  seat,  and  took  the 
next  one.  Mr.  Malloy  asked  him  to  tell  him  the  secret 
of  his  success  in  protracted  meetings,  which  Brother  Shaw 
proceeded  to  do  in  a  very  earnest  manner,  saying  he 
depended  much  on  the  power  of  song ;  preached  Christ ; 
always  kept  Jesus  before  the  people ;  made  them  feel  that 
they  were  sinners,  and  needed  just  such  a  Savior  as  he 
preached;  that  he  never  became  discouraged;  had  con- 
fidence in  the  gospel  truth  as  the  power  of  God ;  that  he 
loved  his  work,  and  became  wholly  absorbed  in  it ;  and 
added :  '  Oh,  it  is  a  grand  thing  to  rally  people  to  the  Cross 
of  Christ'  At  that  moment,  I  turned  to  see  if  we  were  in 
sight  ot  McKinney,  and  I  felt  the  car  was  off  the  track, 
bouncing  over  the  ties.  I  did  not  feel  in  any  danger; 
did  not  know  that  we  were  on  an  embankment,  and  ex- 
pected that  we  would  check  up  in  a  moment  or  two.  I 
saw  Brother  Shaw  rise  from  his  seat,  and  realized  at  once 
that  the  car  was  going  over.  Not  a  word  was  spoken.  I 
saw  Brother  Shaw  alive  no  more.  All  became  as  dark  as 
night.  When  I  came  to  myself,  the  coach  was  at  the 
bottom  of  the  embankment,  and  I  was  its  only  occupant. 


I  So 


LIFE  OF 


I  looked  round,  but  all  were  gone.  When  I  got  out,  I 
saw  the  passengers  on  the  railroad  track  above  me,  and 
made  my  way  up  to  them.  The  first  one  I  met  was  Mr. 
Malloy,  with  whom  Brother  Shaw  was  seated  at  the  time 
of  the  accident.  I  said  to  him,  '  Have  you  seen  Brother 
Shaw.'  'No,'  said  he,  'I  fear  he  is  under  the  wreck; 
but  he  saved  my  life  by  pushing  me  from  the  position  in 
which  he  himself  fell'  I  waited  to  hear  no  more,  but 
ran  down  to  the  wreck,  looked  in,  and  saw  a  man's  hand 
pointing  upward  out  of  the  water.  It  was  Brother  Shaw's 
hand.  I  called  for  help,  and  in  about  fifteen  minutes  he 
was  taken  lifeless  from  the  water.  Portions  of  the  wreck 
had  to  be  cut  away  with  an  ax  before  the  body  could  be 
reached  and  removed.  I  had  the  body  placed  in  the 
baggage-car,  which  had  not  been  thrown  from  the  track, 
and  sent  to  McKinney,  where  it  was  taken  charge  of  by 
the  brethren  and  placed  in  the  church.  I  sent  a  telegram 
to  Dallas,  telling  the  sad  news.  In  a  short  time,  a  deep 
gloom  pervaded  the  whole  city,  as  from  house  to  house 
passed  the  sad  words,  'Brother  Shaw  is  dead.'  Quite  a 
number  were  injured  by  the  accident;  some  very  severely. 
My  own  injuries  were  of  a  serious  nature,  much  more  so 
than  I  at  first  supposed.  Such  was  Brother  Shaw's  last 
day  on  earth.  Kirk  Baxter." 

The  Dallas  papers,  of  June  the  8th,  give  the  fol- 
lowing account  of  the  wreck  : 

''A  disastrous  accident  to  the  north-bound  passenger 
train,  on  the  Houston  and  Texas  Central  Railroad,  oc- 
curred about  two  miles  south  of  McKinney,  at  a  quarter 
past  nine  o'clock  yesterday  morning,  which  was  attended 
with  death  and  destruction. 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


I8l 


''The  train  consisted  of  engine,  baggage  and  mail  car, 
two  passenger  coaches,  and  a  sleeper,  and  was  running  at 
usual  speed.  Arriving  at  the  point  designated,  which  was 
on  an  embankment  about  forty  feet  high,  and  near  Wil- 
son's Creek,  a  broken  rail  precipitated  the  rear  coach 
and  the  sleeper  down  the  embankment,  and  completely- 
wrecked  that  part  of  the  train.  All  the  other  parts  ran 
over  the  break  in  the  road,  and  were  not  materially  dam- 
aged. The  first  news  received  of  the  accident  was  a  tele- 
gram to  Captain  C.  M.  Wheat  from  Elder  Kirk  Baxter, 
pastor  of  the  Christian  Church  here,  breaking  the  start- 
ling intelligence,  that  Elder  Knowles  Shaw,  who  was  in 
company  with  him  aboard  the  train,  was  killed  outright, 
and  requesting  him  to  come  up  at  once. 

"A  number  of  telegrams  were  sent  and  received  dur- 
ing the  morning,  yet  the  answers  received  were  rather 
vague  and  contradictory.  Throughout  the  day  there  was 
great  anxiety  felt  in  this  city,  as  a  majority  of  the  passen- 
gers had  friends  here  who  were  desirous  of  knowing  the 
fate  of  the  passengers  after  the  first  news  of  the  accident 
had  been  confirmed. 

"The  very  latest  and  fullest  account,  both  by  telegraph 
and  from  reporters  detailed  to  go  to  the  scene  of  the  acci- 
dent, is  to  the  effect  that  there  were  in  all  twenty-seven 
persons  more  or  less  wounded,  and  one  killed.  Of  the 
wounded,  the  following  names  are  those  who  were  at 
McKinney,  at  the  American  House,  late  yesterday  even- 
ing; the  others  having  gone  north  on  the  train  which 
went  on  to  .its  destination  in  an  hour  or  so  after  the 
accident.  Those  whose  names  do  not  appear  in  the  list 
of  wounded,  received  slight  bruises  only. 


l82 


LIFE  OF 


''WOUNDED. 

"Rev,  George  W.  Henry,  of  Denison,  severely  about 
the  head. 

"Mrs.  Aggie,  wife  of  G.  W.  Henry,  severely  about 
the  head. 

"Miss  Katie  Henry,  slightly. 
"G.  W.  Henry,  Jr.,  slightly. 

"Miss  Carry  Spooner,  of  Denison,  about  the  head, 
slightly. 

"  Miss  Augusta  Stidman,  deaf  mute,  from  asylum  at 
Austin,  slightly. 

"Rev.  J.  T.  Miller,  of  Ennis,  severely. 

"Albert  Billings,  sleeping-car  porter,  slightly. 

"Elder  Kirk  Baxter,  of  Dallas,  about  the  head  and 
chest,  dangerously. 

"George  Mountcastle,  postmaster  at  Allen,  dangerously. 

"S.  C.  Anderson,  employe  of  R.  V.  Tompkins,  Dal- 
las, slightly. 

"  Conductor  Lasher,  rib  broken  and  some  slight  bruises. 
"Rev.  W.  L.  Malloy,  of  Sherman,  slightly. 
"Some  one,  name  unknown,  from  Mineola,  slightly. 

"  KILLED. 

"No  one  was  killed  but  Elder  Knowles  Shaw,  of  Mis- 
sissippi. Mr.  Shaw  arrived  here  on  the  4th  day  of  May 
last,  under  an  engagement  of  the  Commerce  Street  Chris- 
tian Church  to  conduct  a  revival,  which  was  continued 
thirty-three  days  and  nights,  during  which  time  he  de- 
livered sixty-six  discourses.  The  result  of  his  efforts  was 
one  hundred  and  eleven  additional  members  to  the  church. 

"From  a  prominent  member  of  the  Christian  Church 
of  this  city,  it  is  learned  that  Mr.  Shaw  was  born  in  the 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


183 


State  of  Ohio,  in  1834,  and,  at  an  early  age,  moved  to 
Indiana.  Shortly  after,  his  father  died  and  left  him  at 
the  head  of  the  family.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  years 
h^  joined  the  Christian  Church,  shortly  after  which  he 
began  preaching;  and,  if  he  had  lived  until  the  ist  day 
of  next  January,  he  would  have  been  preaching  twenty- 
one  years.  The  past  fifteen  years  of  his  life  have  been 
spent  as  an  evangelist,  and  in  supporting  and  helping 
various  churches.  At  the  age  of  twenty-three  years,  he 
married  a  Miss  Finley,  of  Virginia,  and  continued  to 
reside,  in  Indiana  up  to  a  short  time  ago,  when  he  moved 
to  Columbus,  Mississippi.  He  leaves  a  wife  and  two 
children- a  young  lady  about  nineteen  years  old,  and  a 
youth  about  sixteen  years  old.  He  was  very  successful  as 
a  revivalist;  and  had  attained  some  notoriety  in  the  North- 
ern and  Western  States  for  his  success  in  this  line,  and  for 
his  compilation  of  Sunday-school  songs. 

"Mr.  Shaw,  at  the  time  of  tbe  accident,  was  sitting  in 
the  passenger  coach  talking  with  Rev.  Mr.  Malloy,  to 
whom  he  was  introduced  a  short  time  before  by  Elder 
Baxter.  Mr.  Malloy  says  Mr.  Shaw  saved  his  (Malloy's) 
life  by  grabbing  him  and  pushing  him  away  from  the  posi- 
tion in  which  he  fell  himself.  Mr.  Shaw's  right  arm  was 
broken  in  two  or  three  places ;  there  is  a  severe  cut  on 
top  of  his  head,  one  on  the  forehead,  slightly  on  the  nose, 
and  his  lower  limbs  were  badly  mangled  and  his  neck 
broken. 

Elder  Baxter,  when  he  came  to  the  car,  looked  for 
Mr.  Shaw,  and  found  him  entangled  in  the  wreck,  and 
partly  covered  with  water.  It  took  fifteen  minutes  to 
extricate  his  body  by  cutting  around  it  with  an  ax.  His 
body  was  taken  care  of  by  friends  at  McKinney,  where  it 


t84 


LIFE  OF 


was  washed  and  dressed,  and  laid  out  in  a  handsome 
coffin.  It  was  brought  to  this  city  last  evening,  where 
it  was  taken  to  Willett  &  Smith's  and  embalmed.  It 
will  be  kept  here  awaiting  orders  from  his  family  as  to 
its  disposition. 

He  kept  a  register  of  the  number  of  those  converted 
under  his  ministrations,  which,  in  round  numbers,  is  over 
eleven  thousand. 

''Night  before  last,  he  preached  his  farewell  sermon 
to  the  congregation  of  the  Commerce  Street  Christian 
Church,  of  this  city;  and,  when  killed,  was  on  his  way 
to  McKinney  to  hold  a  protracted  meeting.  The  news  of 
his  death  was  a  severe  blow  to  his  many  friends  in  this 
city,  as  he  was  held  in  high  esteem  by  all  who  knew  him. 

**The  train,  at  the  time  of  the  accident,  was  on  a  curve, 
and  about  three  hundred  yards  south  of  the  bridge  over 
the  creek.  The  passenger  coach  turned  over  twice,  and 
is  now  bottom  upwards  in  a  ditch,  and  a  complete  wreck. 
The  sleeper  turned  over  twice,  and  is  lying  on  one  side. 
Most  of  the  passengers  were  in  the  coach. 

A  party  of  thirty  went  to  care  for  the  wounded.  Drs. 
Hughes,  Leak,  Graham,  Johnson,  and  Allen,  all  of  this 
city,  did  effective  service  in  alleviating  the  suffering  of  the 
wounded." 

Thus  perished,  in  the  prime  of  life  and  in  the 
midst  of  his  usefulness,  our  beloved  brother ;  and 
we  feel  quite  safe  in  saying  that  no  death  among 
our  brotherhood  ever  called  forth  profounder  grief. 
He  was  at  the  time  of  his  death  within  four  months 
of  being  forty-four  years  of  age,  with  a  vigorous 
constitution,  the  full  and  free  use  of  all  his  powers, 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


185 


a  rich  experience,  and,  if  possible,  with  a  greater 
desire  than  ever  for  the  salvation  of  his  fellow-men. 

The  funeral  rites  were  of  a  peculiarly  solemn  char- 
acter. Memorial  services  were  held  in  several  States. 
Various  bodies,  benevolent  and  religious,  united  in 
expressing  their  admiration  of  his  work  and  worth, 
and  sorrow  for  his  loss.  His  last  words :  * '  Oh,  it  is 
a  grand  thing  to  rally  the  people  to  the  Cross  of 
Christ,"  became  the  motto  of  many  a  tender  speech, 
many  a  touching  poem,  many  a  stirring  song. 

A  volume  might  be  filled  with  the  varied  tributes 
to  his  memory,  but  want  of  space  forbids  more  than 
an  abridged  account  of  the  funeral  services,  and  a 
flower  gathered  here  and  there  from  the  wreaths 
of  eloquence  and  song  which  love  and  friendship 
strewed  upon  his  grave. 


LIFE  OF 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


Funeral  Services  at  Dallas — Closing  Services^  and  Burial  at 
Rushville,  Indiana. 

From  McKinney,  as  already  stated,  the  remains 
of  the  departed  one  were  taken  to  Dallas,  and  placed 
in  the  church,  where  he  had  but  a  short  time  before 
so  earnestly  and  successfully  labored.  On  the  next 
day  (Lord's  Day),  June  the  9th,  the  funeral  services 
took  place,  which  were  noticed  as  follows  in  the  city 
papers : 

"THE  LAST  RITES. 

FUNERAL   SERVICES    OF    MR.    SHAW,   SUNDAY  MORNING. 
AN  IMMENSE  CONCOURSE  PAY  TRIBUTE  TO  HIS 
MEMORY. 

"As  early  as  nine  o'clock  Sunday  morning  people  began 
to  gather  within  the  building  where  lay  all  that  was  earthly 
of  the  dead  evangelist.  The  casket  was  profusely  deco- 
rated with  odorous  flowers,  while  scattered  upon  the  floor 
beneath  it  were  immense  bunches  of  incense -breathing 
roses,  geraniums,  honeysuckles,  and  clippings  from  the 
rarest  gardens  in  the  city.  On  the  stand,  in  the  rear,  a 
dozen  or  more  vessels,  filled  with  beautiful  plants  and 
evergreens,  were  tastefully  arranged.    Crosses,  anchors, 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


187 


and  other  elegantly  worked  floral  designs  were  strewn 
upon  the  lid  of  the  coffin;  but  none  were  there  more 
elegant  than  the  crown  of  roses  brought  by  Mrs.  Dr.  A. 
A.  Johnston.  This  was  placed  near  the  head,  and  an 
open  Bible  was  rested  against  it.  In  a  line  of  green  letters 
above  the  altar,  was,  '  Fell  at  his  post, '  underneath  which 
were  three  large  pictures  of  the  deceased ;  and  below  the 
largest — the  center  picture — was  a  placard  containing  his 
last  words :  '  It  is  a  grand  thing  to  rally  people  to  the 
Cross  of  Christ.' 

''As  the  minutes  sped  on,  the  crowd  continued  to 
gather  in  great  numbers,  until  the  large  audience-room 
was  packed  to  its  utmost.  Chairs  were  placed  in  the 
aisles,  and  still  the  immense  congregation  could  not  be 
accommodated.  A  little  before  eleven  o'clock,  Mr. 
Smith,  the  organist,  took  his  position  at  the  instrument, 
and  began  to  send  out  upon  the  air,  in  low  and  solemn 
cadence,  that  sweetest  of  all  sounds  in  music,  '  Home, 
Sweet  Home.'  As  the  mournful  strains  of  the  voluntary 
rose,  gathered,  and  fell,  the  vast  audience  seemed  to  real- 
ize indeed  the  full  force  of  the  occasion,  and  strong  men 
wept.  Rarely  has  a  more  affecting  scene  been  witnessed 
than  that  which  marked  the  exercises  at  this  time. 

"At  eleven  o'clock,  Elder  J.  T.  Bly,  of  Knoxville, 
Iowa,  ascended  the  platform,  and  began  the  opening 
service  by  reading  the  fifteenth  chapter  of  First  Corin- 
thians. The  opening  song,  to  music  of  Mr.  Shaw's  own 
composition,  was :  '  If  Lord,  thou  callest  me ; '  and,  as 
the  organ  pealed  forth  the  solemn  notes,  full  many  an  eye 
was  wet  with  weeping,  and  tears  of  sympathy  rolled  down 
the  cheeks  of  strangers  as  well  as  those  who  knew  and 
loved  him  well. 


i88 


LIFE  OF 


"Prayer  was  then  offered  by  Dr.  Armstrong,  of  the 
Tabernacle.  His  appeal  in  behalf  of  the  absent  wife  and 
bereaved  children  was  a  tearful  offering  of  love  and  af- 
fection. Eloquently,  simple,  and  tenderly  pathetic,  his 
words  fell  with  soft  and  soothing  force  upon  all  who  heard 
them.  Another  of  Mr.  Shaw's  songs — '  Beyond  the  dark 
sea' — was  then  rendered,  and  Mr.  Bly  delivered  the 
funeral  discourse. 

"This  effort,  delivered  under  trying  circumstances,  was 
a  masterly  one ;  and  when  we  give  a  skeleton  of  it  this 
morning,  we  feel  that,  in  doing  so,  we  do  neither  the 
speaker  nor  the  occasion  justice.  It  should  have  been 
heard  to  be  appreciated. 

"  The  text  was  chosen  from  Acts  xxvi.  8  :  '  Why  should 
it  seem  a  thing  incredible  with  you  that  God  should  raise 
the  dead?'  His  subject  was  '  The  Credibility  of  the  Resur- 
rection.' He  announced,  that  with  the  resurrection  the 
claims  of  Jesus  and  the  Bible  stand  or  fall.  It  is  at  the 
door  of  the  sepulcher  that  hope  lingers  with  the  inquiry : 

*  Is  he  here  ?'    The  angel  and  the  empty  tomb  echo  back, 

*  Not  here ;  He  is  risen. '  God,  in  the  nature  of  things, 
made  no  provision  for  sin.  Therefore,  the  nature  of  things 
can  furnish  no  remedy  for  sin  and  its  consequences.  Sci- 
ence can  only  discover  the  difficulty.  The  herald  note  of 
the  gospel — the  '•so  loved^  is  t\\Q  overture — the  arbitrary 
divine  intervention  that  brings  to  man  the  re?fiedy.  The 
revelation  of  Jesus  the  Christ  is  the  solution  of  the  great 
problem  of  life  and  happiness.  In  Him  we  have  the 
complete  harmonization  of  God  and  man;  therefore  the 
uualterable  conditions  of  life  endless, and  happiness  unal- 
loyed. While  Nature  and  Science  walk  hand  in  hand,  the 
revelation  of  the  crucified  and  risen  Savior  calls  for  faith. 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


"  The  resurrection  is  credible — 

"  I  St.  God  is  able  to  raise  the  dead. 

"  2d.  The  happy  result  of  this  revelation  upon  the  lips 
and  character  of  the  laborer,  bears  testimony,  calling  out 
the  nobler  faculties  of  his  being — faith,  hope,  and  love — 
assimilating  him  to  the  divine  character. 

*'3d.  The  responsiveness  of  the  resurrection  bears  tes- 
timony— 

"  a.  It  responds  to  man's  desire  for  life.  Job's  ques- 
tion, 'If  a  man  die,  shall  he  live  again?'  is  a  living  ques- 
tion.   The  vacated  tomb  says,  ^  /le  shall  live  agatn.^ 

b.  It  represents  the  Christian's  hope  of  immortality. 
As  the  divine  nature  has  permeated  his  spiritual  nature, 
and  molded  him  into  the  likeness  of  the  character  of  the 
Savior ;  so  in  the  resurrection  shall  he  be  permeated  en- 
tire— made  incorruptible.  It  responds  to  the  Christian's 
aspirations  for  happiness.  Having  an  approved  character, 
an  incorruptible  body,  he  is  fitted  for  happiness  to  the 
utmost  of  his  possibilities. 

**The  denial  of  the  resurrection — 

**  ist.  Ignores  the  Bible  as  a  revelation  from  God. 

**2d.  Converts  the  mission  of  Christ  into  the  arch 
deception  of  the  world.  The  devil  appeals  to  our  carnal 
nature  and  promises  reward  here.  Jesus  appeals  to  our 
spiritual  nature  and  promises  eternal  reward.  If  he  did  not 
rise  again,  he  has  out-generaled  the  devil  as  a  deceiver. 

**3d.  Involves  the  testimony  of  history.  The  name 
Jesus  is  the  great  historic  name  of  literature — in  Christian 
literature  the  greatest.  Of  Christian  civilization — the  best 
ever  known  in  the  world's  history. 

"  CONCLUSION. 

**The  denial  of  the  resurrection  closes  the  gates  of  im- 


190 


LIFE  OF 


mortality,  and  the  grave  of  the  eternal  Sleeper,  and  re- 
duces man's  existence  to  a  monstrosity.  Has  God  mocked 
man  by  imbuing  in  his  nature  the  conditions  to  infinite 
possibilities  and  aspirations,  equal  in  their  measure  with- 
out any  conditions  whatever  of  their  realization?  'Now, 
is  Christ  risen  from  the  dead?'    This  is  our  hope. 

"  Brother  Shaw's  work  of  faith  and  labor  of  love  closed 
with  the  Dallas  meeting.  We  can  pass  no  higher  eulogy 
upon  him  than  to  say  he  needs  none.  He  will  ever  stand 
before  us  in  the  bold  outlines  of  an  earnest  devoted  life. 
And  while  his  cold  inanimate  form  lies  before  us  in  the 
stillness  of  death,  we  are  reminded  that  the  echoes  of  his 
warning  voice  will  not  die  away  until  they  find  rest  on  the 
farther  shores  of  time.  His  work  will  go  on.  Such  a 
life  of  faith  is  reproductive.  Among  the  thousands  who 
have  responded  to  his  earnest  appeals,  many  Avill  catch 
the  gospel  strain  and  send  it  along  down  the  ages.  The 
fact  of  his  untimely  death  will  but  intensify  that  sense  of 
responsibility  that  underlies  every  successful  Christian  life. 
How  inexplicable  that  one  of  such  rare  combination  should 
be  called  from  labor  to  rest  at  noontide!  May  our  kind 
Father,  whose  providential  ways  are  beyond  our  view, 
overrule  this  sad  dispensation  to  the  future  and  greater 
good  of  those  left  behind. 

''After  the  delivery  of  the  funeral  discourse,  Mr.  Arm- 
strong succeeded  Mr.  Bly;  and,  as  the  tender  utterances  fell 
from  his  lips,  the  congregation  was  again  moved  to  tears. 

' '  Mr.  Wheat,  after  making  a  short  address,  proposed 
that  the  congregation  should  kneel  in  a  prayer  of  thankful- 
ness that  their  pastor.  Elder  Kirk  Baxter,  who  was  with 
IMr.  Shaw  the  day  of  the  fearful  disaster,  was  spared  to 
them.    In  this  prayer  Mr.  Armstrong  led. 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


191 


* '  Mr,  Baxter,  who  was  present,  but  who  had  to  be 
assisted  into  the  church  — the  bruises  on  whose  head  and 
left  eye  were  plainly  discernible  to  those  in  the  remotest 
seats  in  the  church — was  requested  to  tell  the  congrega- 
how  the  terrible  accident  happened.  This  he  did  in  tones 
that  told  he  was  suffering  mental  anguish  as  well  as  endur- 
ing physical  pain;  but  as  the  account  of  the  wreck  has 
hitherto  been  published  in  these  columns,  we  will  not  re- 
produce it. 

' '  Over  the  cold  body  of  Mr.  Shaw  an  appeal  was  made 
to  sinners  to  turn  to  God,  and  four  came  forv.^ird  and 
united  themselves  with  the  church.  The  hymn,  '  Fallen 
on  Zion's  Battle  Field — a  Soldier  of  Renown,'  was  sung 
in  conclusion  of  the  services.  After  the  audience  was 
dismissed,  a  large  number  of  persons  pressed  forward  to 
view  the  body. 

The  remains  continued  to  lie  in  state  in  the  church 
until  yesterday  morning;  when,  attended  by  weeping 
friends,  they  were  taken  to  the  depot,  and  sent,  on  the 
7:20  train,  under  care  of  Mr.  L.  D.  Myers,  to  Rushville, 
Indiana,  for  burial.  So  has  gone  out  of  life  a  noble  man 
of  God — a  gallant  warrior  from  the  host  of  Israel." 

During  Brother  Shaw's  meeting  at  Dallas,  in  one 
of  his  sermons,  he  said:  "If  I  should  die  while  I 
am  here,  I  want  you  to  send  my  body  to  Rushville, 
Indiana,  for  burial."  His  request  was  complied 
with,  as  above  stated  ;  and  Brother  L.  D.  oMyers, 
who  attended  to  this  kind  yet  sad  office,  tells,  in  the 
following  letter  to  the  Christiayi  Standard,  how  his 
mournful  mission  was  discharged : 

* '  Dear  Brotlier  Errett : —  I  returned  home  from  my 


192 


LIFE  OF 


sorrowful  trip  to  Rushville,  Indi  ana,  with  the  remains  of 
Brother  Shaw,  last  Thursday.  I  arrived  in  Rushville  on 
Wednesday,  12th  inst. ,  about  nine  A.  M.,  and  found  a 
large  assembly  of  sorrowing  friends  and  relatives  of  our 
good  brother  who  met  me  at  the  depot.  His  poor  old 
mother  was  there,  heart-broken,  as  is  perfectly  natural,  to 
have  so  dutiful  and  worthy  a  son  brought  home  under 
such  circumstances.  But  she  said,  only  a  few  short  years 
and  she  would  join  him  in  the  bright  beyond. 

"  His  wife,  son,  and  daughter  did  not  arrive  for  a  few 
hours,  having  missed  connection  at  Cincinnati.  They, 
too,  came  with  sorrowful  hearts;  but  Sister  Shaw  was 
more  resigned  than  I  expected  to  find  her.  She  is  a 
strong-minded,  sensible  woman,  and  seemed  to  be  equal 
to  the  emergency.  For  years  she  has  been  expecting 
something  of  the  kind  to  happen ;  as  he  lived,  when  not 
in  the  church  house,  on  the  rail.  She  had  almost 
given  him  up;  or,  in  other  words,  he  belonged  to  the 
church  and  people.  He  was  always  in  a  meeting.  When 
away  from  home,  engaged  in  meetings  (which  was  nearly 
all  the  time),  he  delivered  two  sermons  per  day,  three  on 
Lord's  days,  besides  two  singing  rehearsals  per  day  of 
one-half  to  one  hour  each.  Then,  when  he  returned 
home,  he  entered  the  pulpit  and  continued  in  one  grand 
protracted  meeting  until  called  to  another  point.  Re- 
markable man,  never  satisfied  only  when  singing  or 
preaching  the  everlasting  gospel  of  Christ. 

Last  winter,  while  I  was  corresponding  with  him  with 
reference  to  the  meeting  just  ended,  I  received  a  postal 
card  from  him,  urging  the  members  here  to  hold  a  prayer 
service  for  a  week  or  ten  days  prior  to  the  meeting,  so 
that  when  he  came  he  might  begin  at  once,  and  not  have 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


to  work  a  week  to  commence.  Said  he,  I  have  no  fears 
of  converts  if  members  are  aroused  to  do  their  duty,  wind- 
ing up  the  postal-card  thus  : 

* '  '  Yours  with  great  sticktoitiveness  and  neverletgoitiveness, ' 

'K.  Shaw.' 

*'From  about  eight  years'  acquaintance  with  him,  I 
thought  that  combination  of  words  gave  a  free  expression  f 
of  the  man  and  his  hfe.  But,  will  return  to  the  narrative  ^ 
of  my  trip.  Thursday,  13th  instant,  was  set  for  funeral 
service.  The  day  at  hand,  it  was  soon  discovered  that  no 
building  would  hold  the  people;  so  the  remains  were 
taken  to  Court-house  Square.  The  crowd  that  gathered 
there  I  did  not  hear  estimated,  but  it  was  the  largest  I  ever 
witnessed  on  a  similar  occasion.  The  services  were  con- 
ducted by  Brother  J.  M.  Conner.  Brother  L.  H.  Jame- 
son, of  Indianapolis — that  good  old  veteran  in  the  cause 
of  Christ — delivered  the  memorial  discourse,  in  which  he 
stated  that  he  was  preaching  four  years  before  Brother 
Shaw  was  born  ;  had  known  him  from  boyhood ;  had  been 
for  years  side  by  side  with  him  in  the  grand  work.  One 
feature  of  his  life  he  wished  to  emphasize :  '  That  in  all  his 
(Brother  Shaw's)  intercourse  with  men  and  women,  since 
he  entered  the  ministry,  not  one  charge  was  ever  brought 
against  his  character.'  The  speaker  continued,  'What  a 
pattern  for  his  co-laborers  left  behind  to  follow!'  Some 
twenty  or  more  preachers  were  present,  among  whom  I 
noticed  Brothers  J.  M.  Conner,  L.  H.  Jameson,  James 
Conner,  Jr.,  J.  W.  Conner,  H.  R.  Pritchard,  Jacob  Dau- 
benspeck,  E.  L.  Frazee,  D.  L.  Thomas  (Son  of  Brother 
George  Thomas,  who  immersed  Brother  Shaw),  Walter  S. 
Campbell,  Jacob  Blount,  Dr.  Jas.  Orr,  J.  W.  Ferrell,  L. 
D.  McGowen,  N.  Marlott,  Methodist  Episcopal,  Mr. 
13 


194 


LIFE  OF 


Hutchinson,  United  Presbyterian.  Nearly  all  had  some- 
thing to  say,  praising  the  life  and  good  work  of  the  man 
whose  lifeless  form  lay  silent  before  them. 

'*The  H.  &  T.  C.  Railroad  granted  passes  to  Sedalia, 
Missouri,  and  return.  There  I  was  met  by  Brother  Rag- 
land,  the  pastor  at  Sedalia,  and  the  elders,  who  rendered 
assistance  to  St.  Louis.  There  I  was  met  by  Brothers 
Garrison,  Burns,  and  Renshaw,  who  rendered  valuable 
assistance  to  Indianapolis.  Thanks  to  them,  also  to  the 
brethren  at  Rushville  and  Big  Flat  Rock,  in  Rush  County, 
for  contributions  to  help  defray  expense  of  the  journey. 
Funeral  over,  I  remained  with  Brother  Shaw's  family  until 
Monday  morning.  Came  to  Indianapolis;  spent  after- 
noon and  night  with  Brother  Jameson.  Next  day  came 
to  St.  Louis ;  spent  a  few  happy  hours  with  Brother  Gar- 
rison and  family.  At  9:15  started  for  home;  arrived  on 
Thursday;  found  Brother  Baxter  still  suffering  in  mind 
and  body,  but  he  thinks  he  will  recover.  Thursday  night 
went  to  prayer-meeting  at  Commerce  Street  Church,  where 
Brother  Shaw  had  so  recently  held  such  a  good  meeting. 
It  was  the  largest  and  most  interesting  prayer-meeting  I 
ever  attended — some  of  the  young  converts  praying  and 
exhorting  in  public.  Four  additions  to  the  church  since 
the  meeting.  Thus  the  evangelistic  work  of  our  lamented 
brother  goes  on.  Though  dead,  his  life  is  before  us;  and 
his  works,  like  bread  cast  upon  waters,  will  be  seen  many, 
many  days  hence.  Am  trespassing  upon  your  columns, 
but  the  request  of  many  brethren  and  friends,  urging  me 
to  report  through  the  Standard^  is  the  only  apology  I  have 
for  troubling  your  columns. 

"Your  brother  in  Christ, 

"Dallas,  Texas,  June  25.  L.  D.  Myers." 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


The  following  account  of  the  final  funeral  services 
Is  taken  from  the  Rushville  Republican : 

**  Memorial  Service  at  the  Court-house  Park, 
Tuesday,  June  13TH,  1878. 
"At  half-past  ten  o'clock  there  assembled  about 
two  thousand  citizens  of  Rush  County,  in  the  Court- 
house Park,  to  engage  in  memorial  services  to  the 
memory  of  Elder  Knowles  Shaw;  and  the  deep  so- 
lemnity which  pervaded  the  vast  assembly,  and  the 
sympathy  expressed,  indicated  how  highly  the  de- 
ceased was  loved  and  esteemed.  No  accident  has 
ever  happened  to  a  citizen  of  Rush  County  that  has 
so  filled  the  hearts  of  the  people  with  sorrow  and 
sadness  as  this  one.  The  friends  erected  a  plat- 
form and  temporary  seats  for  about  fifteen  hundred 
persons.  Immediately  in  front  of  the  platform  was 
a  catafalque,  which  was  handsomely  decorated  with 
flowers  and  evergreens.  At  the  head  was  a  life-size 
portrait  of  the  deceased,  and  near  it  a  card  framed 
in  evergreen,  upon  which  was  printed  the  last  words 
of  Knowles  Shaw:  'It  is  a  grand  thing  to  rally  peo- 
ple to  the  Cross  of  Christ.'  The  casket  was  very 
handsomely  decorated  with  flowers  and  evergreens, 
among  which  we  noticed  a  cross  of  white  roses,  an 
anchor  of  evergreens  and  flowers,  a  beautiful  wreath 
of  magnolia  blossoms  from  the  Sunny  South,  fur- 
nished by  Miss  Lenora  Norris,  besides  numerous 
other  floral  decorations  froni  other  loving  friends. 
The  exercises  began  with  a  duet,   'Only  a  Little 


196 


LIFE  OF 


While,'  composed  by  the  deceased,  and  sung  by 
the  Misses  Norris.  The  manner  in  which  it  was 
rendered,  and  the  sentiment  of  the  song,  left  not  a 
dry  eye  in  the  vast  audience.  Following  this  was 
the  reading  of  various  appropriate  passages  of  Scrip- 
ture by  Elder  D.  L.  Thomas ;  then  a  hymn  by  a  very 
large  choir,  improvised  for  the  occasion,  and  consist- 
ing of  persons  from  the  various  churches.  Dr.  Orr, 
of  Andersonville,  followed,  with  an  eloquent  prayer. 
Elder  J.  W.  Conner,  of  Crawfordsville,  recently  of 
Rushville,  acted  as  officiating  minister.  Short  eulo- 
gies were  then  pronounced  upon  the  life  and  char- 
acter of  the  deceased  by  Elders  J.  W.  Conner,  of 
Crawfordsville;  L.  H.  Jameson,  of  Indianapolis; 
Jacob  Daubenspeck,  of  Rush  County;  Walter  S. 
Campbell,  of  Fairview ;  Rev.  A.  N.  Marlatt,  pastor 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  Rushville,  and 
L.  D.  Myers,  Esq.,  of  Dallas,  Texas.  The  exercises 
at  the  Park  closed  with  a  song  from  *  Pure  Gold  * 
by  the  choir,  entitled  'One  by  One  we  Gather,' 
when  the  funeral  cortege  proceeded  to  East  Hill 
Cemetery,  where  the  remains  were  buried.  Eight 
ministers  acted  as  pall-bearers. 

"So  ended  the  last  rites  in  memory  of  one  who 
was  dearly  loved  by  all  who  knew  him,  and  who, 
while  in  life,  labored  for  the  elevation  of  his  race 
with  untiring  energy  and  zeal,  and  was  stricken 
down  in  the  midst  of  his  usefulness  and  labor. 
Surely  of  such  an  one  we  can  say,  'Death  is  the 
crown  of  life.'  " 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


Differerice  Between  Our  Judgments  Concerni?ig  the  Livifig  and 
the  Dead — Memorial  Service  at  Colu?nbus,  ^Mississippi. 

In  the  course  of  our  narrative  we  have  introduced 
the  various  opinions  entertained  of  Brother  Shaw 
while  hving — most  of  them  just,  no  doubt,  but  some 
perhaps  giving  undue  prominence-  to  peculiarities 
which  the  writers  would  have  regarded  as  unpardon- 
able in  themselves,  but  which  formed  an  inseparable 
part  of  Brother  Shaw's  character,  and  may  have  in 
some  degree  contributed  to  his  success.  Many  good 
preachers  are  unable  to  tell  an  anecdote  in  a  manner 
acceptable  to  their  hearers,  while  others  can  employ 
them  in  a  way  to  give  great  point  and  force  to 
their  arguments;  and  very  few  are  able  to  interject 
a  moving  song  into  their  addresses.  Both  these 
Brother  Shaw  could  do  with  admirable  effect.  In 
fact,  the  song  and  apt  illustration  were  often  the 
strong  points  of  the  sermon,  making  it  far  more 
effective  than  it  could  possibly  have  been  had  these 
been  wanting.  It  was  these  that  tipped  the  arrows 
of  truth,  as  with  flame,  and  feathered  them  so  that 


198 


LIFE  OF 


they  flew  swiftly  and  surely  until  they  hung  quiver- 
ing in  the  stricken  heart.  While  living  his  methods 
occupied  more  attention  than  his  work;  since  he 
has  gone  his  work  claims  more  of  our  attention  than 
his  methods;  and  in  view  of  that  work,  finished, 
alas!  too  soon,  much  criticism,  which  in  life  seemed 
just,  is  disarmed  ;  and  there  are  few  who  would  not 
be  willing  to  subject  themselves  to  criticism,  far 
severer  than  he  ever  encountered,  could  they  but 
leave  a  tithe  of  such  blessed  results  behind.  As 
winter's  snow  covers  dead  leaves,  barren  meadows, 
trunks  of  fallen  trees,  rough  ravines,  and  unsightly 
ruts,  in  its  stainless  winding-sheet,  so  death  hides  all 
but  the  great  outline  of  life,  and  leaves  but  the 
memory  of  that  which  is  truest  and  best  in  the  lives 
of  those  we  shall  see  on  earth  no  more. 

Memorial  services  in  honor  of  the  dead  evangelist 
were  held  at  various  places,  where  in  life  he  had 
labored  ;  but  one  service,  held  at  Columbus,  Missis- 
sippi, his  home  for  some  time  preceding  his  death, 
will  be  found  to  be  of  peculiar  interest.  This  meet- 
ing was  held  in  the  Christian  Church,  on  the  14th  of 
June,  about  one  week  after  his  tragical  end,  and  was 
participated  in  by  the  ministers  of  the  different 
churches,  and  other  prominent  personages.  The 
Rev.  Dr.  Franklin  was  chairman  of  the  meeting. 
The  proceedings  were  in  the  following  order : 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


199 


MEMORIAL  ADDRESSES. 

Dr.  Curtis  said: 

/ 

Responsive  to  the  invitation  of  my  church,  I  offer  its 
humble  tribute  to  the  solemn  services  of  this  occasion. 
We  come  to  strew  flowers  upon  the  tomb  of  our  friend 
and  brother;  and  to  enter  the  Parthenon  of  the  heart's 
best  affections  for  oblations  worthy  of  his  memory.  But 
the  garlands  which  we  bring,  all 'blooming  and  fragrant 
with  evergreen  enamelings,  are  but  silent  symbols  of  heart- 
swelling  emotion  that  disdains  the  literature  of  speech. 
Such  expressions,  when  language  was  impoverished  and 
bankrupted  for  utterance,  have  distinguished  civilized  man 
in  all  ages,  and  under  all  forms  of  society.  The  Cecrops, 
the  Mausoleum,  the  Taj  Mahal,  and  CseciHa  Mettela,  were 
but  so  many  silent  tombs  men  erected  to  perpetuate  the 
memory  of  the  noble  and  venerated  dead. 

"And  the  pathway  of  Time  is  strewed  with  the  debris 
of  shattered  and  exfoHating  monuments  to  dead  styles  of 
thought,  dead  forms  of  taste,  of  art,  and  literature,  as 
well  as  dead  heroes  and  distinguished  dead  men.  There 
they  stand  and  lie,  magnificent  in  their  ruins,  in  Torso 
beauty,  but  with  the  silent  eloquence  of  the  Elgin  collec- 
tion —  types  of  eternal  beauty. 

So  our  monumental  meeting  to-night,  to  do  honor  to 
the  memory  of  Elder  Knowles  Shaw,  is  more  to  manifest 
what  we  feel,  than  to  essay  the  formulation  of  that  feeling 
in  words.  We  would  rather  invoke  the  expressiveness 
and  dignity  of  silence  to  declare  his  merits  and  avouch 
our  grief. 


200  LIFE  OF 

''Elder  Shaw,  the  inaugurator  of  the  'Murphy  Move- 
ment' in  our  midst,  and  so  beneficent  in  its  results,  is  no 
more.  His  life-work  is  concluded,  and  the  fruitage  of 
nearly  two  years'  of  laborious  efforts  to  meliorate  the  con- 
dition of  man,  and  to  promote  the  honor  of  God,  is  with 
us,  as  a  rich  and  glorious  legacy ;  and,  though  dead,  and 
his  ministries  of  love — in  preaching,  exhorting,  singing, 
and  praying  with  us — is  lost  to  us  forever,  and  the  ex- 
ample of  his  pure  and  upright  life  is  taken  from  us;  yet 
in  affection  and  in  memory  he  is  with  us,  and,  as  Abel 
from  the  slumbrous  past  speaks  to  the  Christian  heart,  so 
Knowles  Shaw  speaks  to  us. 

"He  was  ever  prompt  in  duty,  earnest  in  action,  zeal- 
ous in  the  advocacy  of  truth,  and  pure  in  motive.  He 
was  rather  a  peculiar  man,  of  undoubted  genius,  of  won- 
derful memory,  of  boundless  energy,  and  a  faculty  of 
hopefulness  that  threw  an  inspirational  glamour  over  all 
the  landscape  of  life,  lighting  it  up  with  electric  and  poetic 
beauty.  The  very  clouds  of  adversity  all  had  bright  silver 
linings  to  him.  The  normal  condition  of  his  being  was 
that  of  happiness ;  and  the  boon  he  so  much  enjoyed  him- 
self, and  which  was  as  if  his  'spirit  was  lapped  in  Elysium,' 
he  desired  all  others  to  share;  and,  hence,  becoming  the 
center  of  a  magic  circle  of  social  happiness,  he  diffused  a 
paradise  of  pleasure  wherever  he  was.  The  spell  was  en- 
chantment; the  fruitage,  fruition. 

"His  powers  were  all  bent  in  the  direction  of  virtue 
and  unselfishness.  He  lived  not  for  himself,  but  pre- 
eminently for  others.  He  worked  and  talked  and  moved 
as  one  conscious  of  the  obligation  of  existence,  and  appre- 
hensive that  life  was  too  short  to  accomplish  all  of  duty, 
and  that  what  was  to  be  done  must  be  done  quickly.  His 


KNOWLF.S  SHAW. 


201 


life  was  really  an  idyl — a  poem  of  unselfish  goodness  and 
earnest  usefulness.  May  we  imitate  his  many  virtues, 
emulate  his  noble  zeal,  and  have  embalmed  in  our  hearts 
the  forms  of  beauty  and  goodness  that  chastened  and  dis- 
tinguished his  valuable  life.  And,  as  no  force  is  ever 
destroyed,  as  no  thought  ever  dies,  let  us  not  despond  or 
grow  weary  in  the  good  work  he  begun.  It  will  go  on. 
It  is  the  fiat  of  destiny.  Let  us  assist  in  its  progress  and 
development. 

''And  now,  let  us  comfort  our  hearts  in  this  very  sad 
bereavement.  The  good  are  not  only  blessed  in  the 
transition  of  death,  which  is  a  mere  change  in  the  mode 
of  being,  but  *  they  rest  from  their  labors,  and  their  works 
do  follow  them.'  As  the  sweetness  of  the  perished  rose 
lingers  in  the  atmosphere  around  the  parent  stem,  so  do 
the  labors  and  virtues  of  the  dead  exhale  from  the  very 
tomb  the  freshness  and  fragrance  of  unsullied  lives.  The 
treasures  of  thought  and  learning  conserved  from  the 
ravages  of  time  in  parchments,  manuscripts,  and  books, 
in  painting,  sculpture,  and  architecture,  are  but  a  legacy 
bequeathed  to  us  from  preceding  ages  and  generations  of 
men  for  our  use  and  happiness;  and  to  be  faithfully  trans- 
mitted, unimpaired  and  improved,  to  succeeding  genera- 
tions. So  of  individual  worth  and  merit.  Everything  in 
this  world  is  fragmentary.  One  generation,  and  one  indi- 
vidual, accomplish  only  so  much,  and  another  takes  up 
the  unfinished  work  and  carries  it  on;  and  thus  the  cause 
of  civilization  and  progress,  as  the  cause  of  virtue,  are 
carried  forward,  and  the  noblest  ends  of  destiny  achieved. 

"  Knowles  Shaw  lives  again  in  his  teaching,  in  his 
example,  and  in  the  magnetic  force  left  behind  him. 
Death  is  but  an  episode  in  life ;  and,  in  the  graceful  style 


202 


LIFE  OF 


of  one  of  the  South's  brightest  sons,  *  the  limits  even  of 
time  are  overstepped,  and  the  threads  broken  by  death  are 
woven  in  a  new  fabric  beyond  the  stars.  Not  until  the 
vast  tapestry  is  unrolled  before  us  in  the  pavilion  of 
eternity  itself,  and  the  constituent  figures  are  seen  to  be 
inwrought  with  an  exquisite  unity  of  design,  shall  we  be 
able  to  frame  a  judgment  of  the  wisdom  of  the  whole.' 
But  enough  is  known  and  appreciable  to  show  the  won- 
derful beauty  of  design,  and  to  fix  confidence  in  the 
benevolence  and  wisdom  underlying  those  parts  more 
occult  and  less  understood.  Thus  we  recognize  all  things 
to  be  for  the  best ;  and,  to  the  devout  heart,  are  felt  to 
be  a  thing  of  beauty  and  a  joy  forever. 

"  What  is  our  loss  is  his  gain ;  artd  how  pleasant  it  is  to 
feel  that  Knowles  Shaw  lives  again,  not  only  in  the  affec- 
tions of  those  who  loved  him  so  well,  but  in  the  benignant 
smiles  of  that  Savior  whom  he  served  so  faithfully. 

"There's  no  such  thing  as  death, 
To  those  who  Hve  aright; 
'Tis  but  the  racer  casting  off 
What  most  impedes  his  flight. 

'*  'Tis  but  one  little  act 

Life's  drama  must  contain — 
One  struggle  greater  than  the  rest, 
And  then  an  end  of  pain. 

"There's  no  such  thing  as  death; 
That  which  is  thus  miscalled 
Is  life  escaping  from  the  chains 
That  have  so  long  enthralled. 

«*  'Tis  but  the  bud  displaced 
As  comes  the  perfect  flower; 
'Tis  faith  exchanged  to  sight, 
And  weariness  to  power." 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


203 


Judge  T.  C.  Lyon  said : 

In  the  collection  of  the  antiquary  there  is  to  be  found 
a  medal  struck  by  the  city  of  Worms,  in  1617.  It  repre- 
sents a  lighted  candle  shining  upon  the  open  Word,  while 
a  serpent  endeavors  to  extinguish  it;  a  hand  from  the 
skies  points,  indicating  that  divine  strength  feeds  the 
flame;  an  inscription  underneath  signifies,  'O  Lord,  let 
it  shine  on  forever.'  The  Truth,  the  Light,  the  Spirit  of 
Evil,  the  Divine  Protection,  the  Prayer  of  the  Faithful  1 
How  fit  an  illustration  this  of  the  grand  conflict  between 
the  Powers  of  Darkness  and  of  Light,  which  now  is,  and 
has  been,  and  will  be  until  the  millennial  host  trmmphant 
shall  crown  earth's  rightful  King. 

"But,  alas,  for  mortal  weakness!  As  the  warrior  sees, 
in  the  hard  contest,  the  crest  of  some  champion,  triple- 
armed,  unexpectedly  sink,  faith  trembles,  and,  beholding, 
the  expostulatory  cry  ascends,  '  Could  it  not  shine  on,  O 
Lord;  can  the  dust  praise  thee;  can  it  declare  thy  truth?' 

"Is  it  to  be  denied  but  that  with  such  feeHngs  not  a 
few  in  this  presence  and  community  regard  the  sudden 
extinguishment  of  the  light  of  life  and  usefulness  in  him 
whose  work  among  us,  as  humanitarian  and  Christian — as 
lover  of  his  race  and  of  his  God — we  are  now  here  met  to 
commemorate.  But,  the  reflection  comes,  the  temple  of 
highest  human  hopes  can  not  be  marred  by  human  loss ; 
complete  to-day  as  yesterday,  no  pillar  can  fall,  nor  stone 
of  the  corner  crumble.  God's  work,  as  it  regards  man, 
in  its  every  aspect,  is  his  own ;  and  his  hand  wars  not 
against  itself.  By  him,  of  him,  and  through  him,  are  not 
only  are  all  things  permitted,  but  all  things  are.  Stupen- 
dous thought !  From  eterlTity  to  eternity  sweeps  instant 
upon  instant  the  eternal  mind.    It  guides  alike  the  rolhng 


204 


LIFE  OF 


sun  and  the  falling  leaf;  the  shooting  s'ar  and  the  floating 
azure  speck.  One  of  the  greatest  of  mere  men,  captive 
upon  the  sea-girt  rock,  as  he  turned  his  eyes  from  the 
mighty  past  of  his  fallen  fortunes,  upward,  exclaimed, 
'  Our  days  are  reckoned  ?'  So  thought  Napoleon  in  the 
days  of  rationalistic  philosophy;  and  a  greater  hath  spoken 
of  the  '  measure  of  his  days,'  and  declared,  '  my  times  are 
in  thy  hand.'  No;  the  creative  will  did  not  commit  his 
supreme  work,  with  all  its  destinies,  to  blind,  unmeaning 
chance,  to  be  drifted  black  and  blackening  hell-ward. 
With  a  calm  philosophy,  therefore,  let  us  believe  the  hand 
of  Omniscience,  and  nothing  short  of  it,  marked  the  day 
of  our  friend's  birth,  and  the  day  of  his  death,  and  the 
manner  of  that  death  as  well.  The  logical  idea  of  a 
perfect  God  demands  the  -acknowledgment.  To  creature 
challenge,  he  rephes:  '  Be  still,  and  know  that  I  am  God.' 

''The  divine  purpose  in  this  death  maybe  to  us  in- 
scrutable—the strong  man  falling  in  the  midst  of  his 
strength— but  could  his  voice  now  reach  us  from  his  seat 
of  higher  knowledge,  doubtless  it  could  and  would  unfold 
tremendous  reason  why.  To  you  of  his  own  flock,  it 
might  reveal  a  forbidden  leaning  upon  an  arm  of  flesh. 
He  needeth  not  the  strong;  not  since  that  time  He  sent 
the  Galilean  fishermen  forth  to  make  conquest  of  the 
world.  Perhaps  a  glorying  that  was  '  not  all  in  the  Lord ; ' 
perhaps  in  the  hour  of  conscious  weakness  to  strengthen 
faith;  and,  perhaps,  by  such  and  so  terrible  a  death,  to 
make  the  deeper  impress  of  his  teaching  and  example. 
These  things,  it  might  be,  you  would  learn;  but,  of  a 
surety,  desponding  hearts,  Christ's  own  words  to  his  sor- 
rowing disciples  would  be  his  to  you :  '  It  is  expedient 
that  I  go  away.' 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


205 


*'To  others,  who  knew  him  better,  I  leave  a  general 
analysis  of  the  character  of  the  departed ;  attempting  only, 
in  haste,  to  draw  lessons  that  may  be  profitable  to  some 
from  this  sorrowful  occasion.  Nevertheless,  I  can  not 
forbear  to  exalt,  specially,  two  characteristics,  plain  to 
the  passer-by,  in  the  character  of  this,  it  must  be  con- 
fessed, extraordinary  man :  His  devotion  and  his  cour- 
age— the  sword  and  buckler  of  the  truth. 

"Knowles  Shaw  was,  to  some,  a  singular  man,  and 
singular  in  his  ways.  His  idea  of  saving  the  souls  and 
minds  and  bodies  of  his  fellow-men,  and  augmenting  the 
grand  sum  of  temporal  and  eternal  good  during  life's  short 
span,  differed  from  that  of  such,  as  duly  once  a  week, 
with  awful  voice  proclaim  to  immortals,  heedlessly  tread- 
ing the  crumbling  verge  of  abysmal  woes,  without  end, 
the  gospel  of  the  Son  of  God,  as  the  sure,  quick,  and 
only  escape,  then,  with  as  due  awaiting,  passed  with 
polished  hand  and  tongue  of  proper  courtesy,  and  that 
alone,  until  the  appointed  time  returns ;  aye,  his  practice 
differed.  Consecrated,  internally  subjected,  as  it  were, 
ardent,  active,  and  continuing,  the  zeal  of  the  Lord's 
house  bore  him  from  the  pulpit  to  the  street,  to  the  place 
of  business,  to  the  work-shop,  and,  if  needs  be,  to  the 
gutter — hailing,  persuading,  urging,  with  affectionate  solici- 
tude, to  reformation  and  a  better  life.  'Now,'  blazoned 
in  living  light  upon  his  breast,  was  the  talismanic  word  of 
his  action.  Moreover,  ye  bear  him  witness,  the  woe  is 
not  of  his  calling,  either  express  or  by  cowardly  implica- 
tion, light  darkness,  or  darkness  light.  His  bugle  blast, 
and  it  was  a  blast,  gave  forth  no  uncertain  sound  on  any 
question  affecting  man's  highest  welfare.  He  called  evil, 
evil;  and  good,  good.    With  a  flash  of  the  spirit  of  the 


206 


LIFE  OF 


Tishbite  of  old,  he  scouted  Baal  and  his  worshipers ;  and, 
with  a  boldness  akin  to  that  of  the  great  worthies  — from 
Peter  and  the  Apostles  to  Luther,  Calvin,  John  Knox, 
Bunyan,  Wesley,  and  Whitfield — he  hesitated  not  to  de- 
clare, as  he  believed  it,  the  whole  counsel  of  God.  Not 
hard  is  it  to  conceive,  that  had  he  lived  in  the  days  of  the 
early  church,  prisons  would  have  known  him  oft,  and 
stonings,  and  scourgings,  and  the  wild  beasts  of  Ephesus, 
until  through  fire  he  had  ascended  to  a  martyr's  crown. 

"The  priceless  value  of  the  soul  he  seemed  to  feel  as 
well  as  preach.  To  the  eye  following  in  that  ceaseless 
round  of  his  good  work  here,  there,  everywhere,  at  home, 
abroad,  by  day,  by  night,  every  day,  every  night,  instant 
in  season  and  out  of  season  -  his  abounding  labors  ex- 
pressed a  conviction  along  with  him,  whose  majestic 
thought  proclaimed,  that,  were  the  sun  to  be  clothed  in 
sackcloth,  and  the  moon  to  veil  her  face,  all  Nature  could 
not  utter  a  groan  too  deep  to  mark  the  calamity  of  a  lost 
soul. 

"The  record  of  the  good  done  by  the  lamented,  here 
in  his  charge,  is  written  on  the  hearts  of  how  many  before 
me;  the  measure  of  his  philanthropic  labors  in  temperance 
reform,  what  numbers  in  this  community  can  gratefully  at- 
test. There  is  need  of  no  tongue  of  mine  to  tell.  Before 
the  man  and  his  works  were  laid  down  the  prejudices  of 
years. 

"And,  now,  when  we  consider  all,  need  we  be  sur- 
prised that  eleven  thousand  converts  marked  the  seven- 
teen years  of  the  ministry  as  evangelist  of  the  Rev. 
Knowles  Shaw !  Eleven  thousand !  what  sheaves  to  gather ! 
'A  part  have  crossed  the  flood;  a  part  are  crossing  now.* 
Here  let  your  hearts  revert  with  me  to  his  own  touching 
hymn,  sung  just  now : 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


207 


"  *  When  my  final  farewell  to  the  world  I  have  said, 

And  gladly  lie  down  to  my  rest ; 
When  softly  the  watchers  shall  say,  "  He  is  dead," 

And  fold  my  pale  hands  o'er  my  breast ; 
And  when,  with  my  glorified  vision  at  last. 

The  walls  of  "  that  city  "  I  see, 
Will  any  one  then  at  the  beautiful  gate 

Be  waiting  and  watching  for  me  ? ' 

'Waiting  and  watching!'  Does  he  ask,  Shall  any- 
one be  waiting  and  watching  for  me  ?  My  friends,  when 
on  this  evening  one  week  ago,  by  time  of  Earth,  it  was 
was  announced  in  the  courts  of  Heaven  that  this  soldier 
of  the  Cross  was  about  to  be  called  to  his  reward ;  that 
the  Lord's  joy  was  full;  that  the  crown  was  ready;  and 
when  the  bright-liveried  escort  past  the  portals,  what,  think 
you,  was  there  waiting  and  watching  for  him?  Where 
was  that  glorious  company — the  seals  of  his  ministry ;  the 
redeemed  thousands  gone  before!  Where  the  angelic 
host,  with  whom  there  had  been  joy  eleven  thousand 
times  in  heaven  over  those  sinners  repentant?  Where  the 
choirs  seraphic?  Yea,  where  the  King  himself?  I  trow 
there  was  waiting  and  watching  at  the  beautiful  gate! 
Nor  watched  nor  waited  long !  From  the  smoking  wreck 
of  instant  death,  in  the  land  of  pain  and  sorrow,  the 
released  spirit  shot  upward,  borne  on  wings  swifter  than 
the  swift-winged  light,  it  passed  within  the  door  opened 
in  Heaven.  Strain,  strain  the  spirit's  eyes  to  catch  a 
glimpse  of  that  welcome.  The  glittering  throng;  the 
sainted  loved  ones;  his  own  eager  thousands  of  the  re- 
deemed ;  the  glad  angels ;  the  Master's  plaudit ;  his  Lord's 
joy;  the  everlasting  crown;  the  stars  that  are  to  shine 
forever  and  ever !    Son,  daughter,  of  this  sorrowing  vale, 


208 


LIFE  OF 


let  him  'rest'  inside  those  beautiful  gates  of  which  he 
sang  in  such  uncommon  strains;  within  the  walls  of  that 
city  which,  with  glorified  vision,  he  so  longed  to  see  ! 
'  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant,  enter  thou  into  the 
glory  of  thy  Lord.' 

"We  leave  him  there.  And  now  to  you  who  loved 
him  who  loved  you,  and  yet  loves  you  :  would  you  honor 
the  man  as  is  given  man  most  to  honor  the  dead  ?  Then, 
in  your  minds  and  hearts,  continue  to  hear  the  voice  that 
is  still.    Remember  his  words  ;  walk  in  his  ways. 

^'  In  the  market-place  of  a  German  town  there  stands  a 
statue,  placed  there  by  pious  hands,  of  beautiful  signifi- 
cance. High  up  over  the  bustling  throng,  where  the  peo- 
ple are  buying  and  selling,  and  cumbered  with  the  things 
of  earth,  there  is  a  figure  of  an  angel  pointing  heaven- 
ward, with  a  scroll  in  his  hand,  on  which  are  these  solemn 
words : 

"  'Things  that  are  seen  are  temporal; 

But  the  things  that  are  not  seen  are  eternal.' 

Could  you  adopt  a  truer,  a  more  deserved  reminder 
of  the  one  that  is  gone,  than,  in  sacred  fancy,  to  behold 
him  behind  that  vacant  desk,  where  the  memory  will  keep 
him  long,  pointing  you  ever,  like  the  angel  monitor  of  the 
busy  mart,  heavenward,  heavenward !  while  from  his  un- 
moving  hand  you  read  his  faithful  teaching  as  you  read 
God's  warning : 

**  'Things  that  are  seen  are  temporal ; 

But  the  things  that  are  not  seen  are  eternal.'  " 

Mr.  Ross  Tabb  said  : 
We  have  assembled  to-night  for  the  purpose  of  giving 
expression  to  our  love  for,  and  regret  at,  the  loss  of  one 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


209 


who  was  with  us,  and  of  us,  and  now  is  not.  Death  has 
suddenly  laid  its  hand  upon  our  leader,  and  filled  our 
order  with  mourning.  A  week  ago  this  night  a  happy 
household  expectant  watched  his  coming;  a  few  short 
hours  past,  and  most  unwelcome  news — dead  -  crushes 
into  the  hearts  of  family  and  friends,  and  bows  them  down 
in  very  weakness.  Never  was  a  community  more  heavily 
shocked  than  by  the  announcement,  '  Knowles  Shaw  is 
dead  1 '  The  short  life  he  had  spent  with  us  had  so  inter- 
woven itself  with  ours,  that  his  death  was  our  personal  loss. 

But  we  bow  in  humble  submission  to  this,  to  us,  most 
terrible  decree  of  our  Father;  sorrowing  that  he  should 
call  our  beloved  brother,  in  the  very  midst  of  his  useful- 
ness, from  our  people.  Why  it  is  that,  in  God's  economy, 
such  a  man — whose  life  had  been  one  untiring  effort  for 
the  enlightenment  and  elevation  of  his  fellows  — should  be 
given  to  the  sickle  of  death,  is  beyond  the  ken  of  mortals; 
but  we  can  only  accept  the  fact,  and  say  : 

'*  *  Judge  not  the  Lord  by  feeble  sense, 
But  trust  him  for  his  grace — 
Behind  a  frowning  Providence 
He  hides  a  smiling  face.' 

**But,  though  our  brother  has  gone  from  us,  he  yet 
speaks  to  his  well-nigh  broken-hearted  people;  bidding 
them  to  weep  not,  grieve  not,  falter  not,  but  look  forward 
to  that  beautiful,  pure  life  promised  in  the  hereafter  to  the 
faithful.  The  good  that  men  do  lives  after  them.  Think 
you,  my  friends,  the  memory  of  such  a  man  can  perish  ? 
Will  not  his  spirit  dwell  among  us  until  the  last  pulsation 
of  the  heart  cease  ?  Will  not  the  recollection  of  his  kind- 
nesses, his  willingness  at  all  times  to  relieve  suffering,  his 
steady  rebuke  of  wrong  in  every  guise,  be  an  incentive  to 
14 


210 


LIFE  OF 


this  people  to  occupy  a  higher  plane  of  virtue  and  mo- 
rality and  Christian  fellowship?  Prominent  actors  in  life's 
history  live  not  to,  nor  for,  themselves;  and  whether  for 
good  or  evil,  generations  to  come  are  shaped  by  their 
lives;  if  this  be  true,  surely  the  world  is  the  better  for 
Knowles  Shaw's  living. 

"Eighteen  months  ago,  as  a  stranger,  he  visited  us. 
He  labored  with  the  Christian  Church  for  a  few  weeks ; 
and,  by  his  energy,  practical  piety,  and  devotion  to  the 
cause,  awakened  an  interest  not  alone  in  the  church  but 
the  whole  community.  Crowded  houses  waited  on  his 
preaching.  His  church  was  awakened  from  its  lethargy, 
and  so  impressed  were  they  with  his  usefulness  that  he  was 
asked  to  become  their  pastor.  He  cast  his  lot  with  us ; 
and,  from  that  time  forward,  his  life  was  one  of  unceasing 
activity  in  all  that  tended  to  the  moral  and  spiritual  ad- 
vancement of  this  people ;  and  he  lived  the  song  he  loved 
so  well :  '  Scatter  seeds  of  kindness  for  the  reaping  by 
and  by.' 

He  became  interested  in  the  question  of  Temperance; 
and,  infusing  his  life  into  it,  soon  had  the  community 
aroused.  He  delivered  powerful  addresses  in  advocacy  of 
the  cause ;  and,  as  the  result,  over  eighteen  hundred  per- 
sons, in  this  vicinity,  joined  the  movement.  He  pos- 
sessed, in  a  remarkable  degree,  the  vitalizing  power  that 
made  alive  all  with  whom  he  was  associated;  with  his 
convictions,  life  was  too  short  to  be  wasted  in  fruitless 
efforts.  He  realized  to  a  greater  extent,  than  any  one  I 
ever  knew — 

*  A  charge  to  keep  I  have, 

A  God  to  glorify ; 
A  never-dying  soul  to  save, 

And  fit  it  for  the  sky.' 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


211 


And  with  this  high  purpose  in  view,  he  labored  faith- 
fully to  the  end.  His  last  work  was  a  fitting  crown  to  his 
life's  labors.  But  he  has  gone  from  us.  No  more  will  we 
see  him  in  this  house,  laboring  with  this  church  in  the 
cause  of  Christianity,  nor  with  this  people  in  the  work  of 
Temperance. 

"We  now  have  but  the  light  of  his  example  to  beacon 
us  on,  but  that  light  is  full-orbed;  and  in  fancy  we  can  see 
him  clothed  in  the  garments  of  immortality,  keeping  guard 
over  this  people  he  loved  so  well.  We  know  his  wishes 
and  zealous  work  in  the  cause  of  Temperance,  and  his 
untimely  death  should  be  an  incentive  to  earnest  work 
upon  our  part.  Living  as  he  lived,  death  had  no  terrors. 
He  fully  realized  that  '  'twas  not  the  whole  of  life  to  live, 
nor  all  of  death  to  die;'  and  he  left  us  the  full  exemplifi- 
cation of  the  beautiful  lines  : 

'*  '  So  live  that  when  thy  summons  comes  to  join 
The  innumerable  caravan  that  moves 
To  the  mysterious  realms,  where  each  shall  take 
His  chamber  in  the  silent  halls  of  death. 
Thgu  go  not  like  the  quarry  slave  at  night, 
Scourged  to  his  dungeon,  but  sustained  and  soothed 
By  an  unfaltering  trust,  approach  thy  grave 
Like  one  who  wraps  the  drapery  of  his  couch 
About  him  and  lies  down  to  pleasant  dreams.'" 

Closing  the  exercises,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Lipscomb,  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  said: 

Mr.  President,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen: 

hesitate  whether  to  attempt  to  draw  the  tribute  I  may 
offei;,  from  the  impressions  which  the  life  and  character  of 
Elder  Knowles  Shaw  have  made  upon  my  intellect,  or 
from  those  which  personal  intercourse  and  warm  friend- 
ship have  made  upon  my  heart. 


212 


LIFE  OF 


"It  is  easy  to  estimate  the  character  of  most  men. 
Strong,  well-developed  traits  of  intellect,  or  extraordinary 
physical  endowments,  command  our  admiration,  while  a 
luxuriant  growth  of  the  affections  find  an  easy  passage-way 
to  our  hearts.  The  one  we  can  admire,  but  may  not  love ; 
the  other  we  can  love,  but  may  not  admire. 

''Knovvles  Shaw  could  not  be  measured  by  either  of 
these  rules.  He  stands  before  us,  in  the  combination  of 
his  nature  and  acquirements,  one  of  the  most  peculiar 
men  of  the  age.  He  might  justly  be  called  a  human  par. 
adox — a  natural  anomaly. 

"His  physical  appearance  was  almost  outre  in  its  unusual 
peculiarities.  Six  feet  three  inches  high ;  square  and  angu- 
lar at  every  joint;  long-armed,  and  long-limbed,  he  was 
straight  as  an  American  aborigine,  and  as  muscular  and 
active  as  a  trained  athlete.  His  eye  was  sharp  and  clear, 
and  looked  right  before  him,  and  his  whole  bearing  was 
one  of  fearless  aggression  and  personal  prowess. 

"  His  huge  hand  seemed  made  to  grasp  a  double-edged 
sword,  as  it  cut  down  every  opposing  enemy.  His  huge 
foot  was  rightly  placed  when  it  crushed  the  necks  of  his 
foes.  'Forward'  was  written  all  over  his  physical  being, 
and  real  strength  backed  every  letter  of  the  enstampment. 

"His  mind  partook  largely  of  the  peculiarities  of  his 
body.  Self-educated,  he  had  not  learned  to  conform  to 
the  habits  of  the  academy,  nor  was  his  brain  illuminated 
by  the  lamp  of  the  student.  He  learned  as  he  lived,  in 
the  great  world  around  him,  and  acquired  knowledge  as 
he  needed  it.  He  had  no  use  for  knowledge  but  ta  use  it, 
and  he  used  none  but  what  was  useful.  His  strong  mind 
grasped  truth  vigorously,  and  he  handled  it  with  con- 
fidence and  with  power.    Too  direct  -for  sophistry,  too 


KXOWLES  SHAW. 


213 


honest  for  claptrap,  he  spoke  to  the  point,  and  drove  his 
arrows  to  the  mark.  Aggressive,  fearless,  powerful,  he 
stood  the  impersonation  of  an  invading  conqueror,  before 
whom  opposition  must  yield  and  every  resistance  with- 
draw. 

"In  this  world  of  ours  the  logical  pathw^ay  of  such  a 
character  would  be  written  in  blood,  and  enemies  would 
everywhere  spring  up  to  dispute  his  progress.  Hard 
blows  are  ever  received  upon  an  uplifted  arm,  and  human 
hearts  are  wooed,  not  conquered.  But,  strange  to  say, 
Knowles  Shaw  had  no  enemies.  The  women  loved  him, 
the  children  loved  him,  the  men  loved  him.  Hearts 
opened  to  him  as  roses  to  the  sunshine.  Tears  were  the 
oftenest  jewels  he  received,  and  human  affection  almost 
hedged  up  his  moving  footstep.  Thousands  flocked  to 
hear  him  speak,  thousands  received  his  enunciations  with- 
out reluctance  or  dissent.  His  sermons  and  speeches  were 
oracular  to  his  hearers,  and  current  coin  in  immense  terri- 
tories ('f  mind.  Intellectual  submission  was  co-extensive 
with  the  field  of  his  labor,  and  his  voice  was  the  herald 
of  his  own  success. 

These  things  are  the  strange  things  that  disturb  our 
minds.  Such  success  makes  sad  havoc  with  our  estab- 
lished theories,  and  Knowles  Shaw  is  still  before  us  an 
enigma — a  great  human  paradox.  God  is  wonderfully 
wise;  nature  is  wonderfully  kind.  There  exists  a  great 
law,  called  by  philosophers  the  law  of  compensation,  that 
has  a  domain  as  wide  as  humanity,  and  opens  into  every 
department  of  man's  nature.  It  fills  vacuums  with  air,  it 
puts  flesh  on  bones,  it  lays  smooth  tracks  over  rough 
places,  supplies  deficiences  with  excess,  and  makes  power 
work  as  the  handmaid  of  weakness.    God  knew  Knowles 


214 


LIFE  OF 


Shaw  in  physique  and  brain  was  a  merciless  tyrant,  and 
he  placed  within  him  that  which  would  moderate  the 
strength  of  his  arm  and  soften  the  violence  of  his  spirit. 
He  gave  him  a  great  human  heart,  that  filled  every  crook 
and  cranny  of  his  organism,  that  ran  out  to  the  extreme 
end  of  his  longest  finger,  and  pulsated  in  every  foot-fall 
of  his  huge  limbs.  It  saturated  his  very  being  with  the 
love  of  his  fellows,  opened  all  his  vision  toward  the  woes 
and  wants  of  men,  and  sent  him  an  evangelist  proclaim- 
ing *  good  news '  to  the  lost  millions  of  earth — a  herald  of 
salvation  and  a  soldier  of  the  cross.  It  gave  a  melody  to 
his  voice  that  sent  up  to  heaven  magic  wreaths  of  song,  or 
wrapped  his  listening  hearers  in  benedictions  of  joy.  His 
tongue  was  tuned  like  an  angel's  harp,  and  its  softest, 
sweetest  notes  were  messages  of  consolation  and  words  of 
hope  to  the  weary  and  forlorn. 

"  Did  you  ever  hear  him  sing?  Oh  !  the  wonder  that 
such  a  man  was  so  mystically  endowed.  It  was  not  the 
voice  of  a  woman,  nor  yet  of  an  angel ;  it  was  the  voice 
of  a  MAN  that  had  in  it  a  ring  half  heaven,  half  earth — 
strong  but  sweet,  magical  but  true.  It  could  sing  of  Jesus 
and  of  sin ;  it  could  sing  away  the  darkness  and  then  rise 
on  the  strongest  pinions  of  light;  it  could  'shiver'  in  the 
cold  despair  of  the  broken  heart,  'drift  away'  into  the 
loneliness  of  lost  affection,  and  come  back  again  bright  as 
the  face  of  a  reformed  drunkard's  wife,  and  warm  as  the 
love  of  the  happy  children  that  clustered  at  her  knee. 
God  sent  him  out  a  singing  evangelist,  a  hero  with  his 
harp,  a  warrior  whose  eyes  sparkled  with  tears,  and  whose 
blows  were  for  the  healing  of  the  nations. 

"His  great  heart  destroyed  his  selfishness.  He  never 
worked  for  himself,  he  never  fought  for  himself.  He 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


215 


wanted  no  pelf  in  his  pocket,  nor  bays  on  his  brow.  He 
worked  and  labored  and  fought  for  his  Master  and  his 
brother.  If  he  was  strong,  he  used  his  power  to  lift  up 
his  fallen  fellow-man.  He  struck  for  us,  not  against  us. 
If  he  was  brave,  he  used  his  courage  to  destroy  our 
enemies,  not  us ;  and  ten  thousand  dark  fortresses  of  hell 
have  felt  his  prowess  as  he  rescued  therefrom  the  poor 
fallen  sin-stricken  sons  of  Adam.  His  trophies  are  in  this 
house,  but  he  baptized  them  in  his  Master's  name. 
Rescued  ones  are  all  around  us,  but  we  pay  no  ransom 
but  love,  and  his  highest  joy  was  to  point  us  to  still  higher 
heights,  and  help  us  on  to  where  all  is  peace  and  safety 
forevermore. 

**The  people  of  Columbus  needed  Knowles  Shaw.  I 
needed  him.  God  sent  him ;  and  may  your  life  and  my 
life,  stamped  in  the  image  of  the  Jesus  he  preached  and 
the  temperance  he  proclaimed,  be  to  him  the  tribute  we 
pay  and  the  monument  v/e  rear." 

None  but  men  who  felt  what  they  said  could  give 
utterance  to  such  sentiments  as  the  above ;  and  they 
serve  to  show  how  deeply  Brother  Shaw  had  im- 
pressed a  community  into  which  he  had  come  less 
than  two  years  before  a  stranger.  While  all  the 
addresses  were  overflowing  with  true  and  deep  feel- 
ing, I  am  sure  that  the  reader  will  agree  with  me  in 
regard  to  the  last,  that  as  a  true,  tender,  and  affec- 
tionate tribute  to  departed  worth,  it  has  seldom  been 
equaled. 


2l6 


LIFE  OF 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

A  Sad  Scene — Strange  Coincidence — Lifies  by  G.  W.  Archer — 
Tribute  of  Affectiofi — Memorial  Service  at  Jackson^  Missis- 
sippi;— In  Me??ioriam. 

Sorrow  for  the  sad  fate  of  this  faithful  Christian 
soldier  was  mingled  with  deep  sympathy  for  his 
stricken  family.  These  kindred  feelings  found  ex- 
pression in  a  variety  of  ways,  of  which  we  give  a  few 
examples. 

The  following  we  take  from  the  Columbus,  Mis- 
sissippi, papers : 

"REV.  KNOWLES  SHAW. 

"The  melancholy  fate  of  this  great  and  good  man  has 
saddened  our  entire  community.  Singular  that  he  and 
his  friend  and  fellow-laborer,  Bliss,  should  both  have  been 
the  victims  of  a  railroad  disaster.  The  last  sermon  he 
preached  beiore  leaving  us  for  Texas  had  much  with 
regard  to  what  he  wanted  his  people  to  do  in  case  he 
never  returned  to  them.  Without  expressing  any  premo- 
nition of  his  fate,  he  counseled  them  as  though  he  was 
stepping  into  eternity.    An  army  of  good  deeds  are  troop- 


KNOVVLES  SHAW. 


217 


ing  up  to  heaven  to  bear  testimony  to  his  zeal,  his  fideHty, 
and  exemplary  Christianity.  The  world,  and  not  Knowles 
Shaw,  is  the  loser  by  this  railroad  disaster." 

^  ^  :4c  >fc  ijc  ^ 

"One  of  the  saddest  scenes  we  ever  witnessed  was  at 
the  residence  of  the  late  Elder  Knowles  Shaw  on  Sunday 
night.    By  request  of  the  family,  the  ministration  of  the  ^ 
Lord's  Supper  was  held  there  instead  of  at  the  church.  \ 
Dr.  Curtis  delivered  a  discourse  upon  the  philosophy  of 
death,  with  a  beautiful  tribute  to  the  honored  dead.  Dr. 
Lipscomb  offered  up  a  pathetic  prayer  for  the  consolation 
of  the  living.    There  were  other  sympathizing  friends 
from  the  various  churches,  and  it  was  a  commingling  of 
Christian  faith  and  sorrow  we  never  want  to  see  again. 

''The  bereft  household,  consisting  of  father-in-law,  wife, 
daughter  and  son,  together  with  Miss  Leonora  Norris,  left 
on  the  train  for  Rushville,  Indiana,  the  next  morning — 
'  sorrowing  most  of  all  that  they  should  see  his  face  no 
more.' " 

The  following  incident  is  noteworthy : 

''It  is  a  coincidence  not  a  Httle  singular,  that  on  the 
afternoon  of  the  day  of  his  death,  a  drunken  fellow  in 
Columbus,  Mississippi,  mounted  a  box  in  a  saloon  and 
announced  that  he  would  '  preach  Knowles  Shaw's 
funeral'  He  then  proceeded  to  abuse  him  for  his  war 
upon  the  whisky  traffic,  and  while  speaking  was  attacked 
with  an  epileptic  fit,  from  which  he  did  not  recover  for 
hours.  In  the  meantime  the  dispatch  from  Dallas  was 
received  in  Columbus,  announcing  the  fatal  accident.  It 
had  not  been  known  before,  and  the  circumstance  created 
uo  Uttle  excitement." 


2l8 


LIFE  OF 


The  lines  which  follow  are  by  G.  W.  Archer,  of 
Baldwyn,  Mississippi : 

"  Soldier,  unclasp  thy  trusty  sword  and  lay  thy  shield  aside; 
For  the  Master  thou  hast  nobly  fought  and  for  the  Master  died. 
Earnest  zeal  and  constant  toil  thy  unfaltering  faith  attest ; 
And  He  who  heard  thy  earnest  wish  has  called  thee  home  to  rest. 

"Thy  work  was  grand  indeed  1  and  great  indeed  thy  loss! 
For  now  no  more  thy  clarion  voice  shall  'rally  to  the  cross.' 
Tiiy  powers  of  speech  and  song  a  tender  chord  could  thrill, 
But  now,  alas !  the  song  is  hushed,  the  powerful  voice  is  still ! 

"Thousands  have  felt  thy  power  and  heard  thy  warning  call 
Who  live  to-day  to  bless  thy  name  and  mourn  thy  sudden  fall. 
Hundreds  have  listened  to  thy  strains,  and  still  with  wonder  heard, 
V/ho  bowed  their  heads  in  humble  trust  obedient  to  the  Word. 

"Soldier,  go  sing  the  victor's  song,  receive  the  conqueror's  crown, 
For  thou  wast  faithful  to  thy  trust  and  at  thy  post  was  found. 
Go  sing  that  'wondrous  new  made  song,'  where  saints  and  angels 
dwell. 

And  those  that  thou  hast  turned  from  sin  will  soon  its  chorus  swell." 

No  notice  better  deserves  to  be  called  a  "tribute 
of  affection  "  than  this : 

' '  One  of  the  most  useful  and  honored  men  that  ever 
blessed  this  or  any  other  community  with  his  presence  and 
example  has  been  suddenly,  and,  without  warning,  hurled 
into  eternity.  Elder  Knowles  Shaw,  the  '  Singing  Evan- 
gelist,' and  pastor  of  the  Christian  Church  at  this  place, 
was  killed  by  a  railroad  accident  near  Dallas,  Texas,  on 
the  7  th  instant,  while  on  his  return  home  from  a  preach- 
ing tour  of  five  or  six  weeks  to  that  city. 

"Of  course  we  have  neither  the  capacity,  the  facts  in 
hand,  nor  yet  the  /lear^  to  do  any  thing  even  approaching 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


219 


the  shadow  of  justice  to  the  Hfe,  labors,  or  talents,  of  such 
a  man  as  Knowles  Shaw.  Looking  to  the  standard  jour- 
nals of  liis  church  to  perform  that  important  task,  all  we 
can  do  here  is  to  scatter  a  few  flowers  of  love  upon  his 
grave,  and  mingle  our  tears  with  those  of  the  thousands 
over  the  land  who  have  listened  to  his  marvelous  elo- 
quence and  felt  the  magnetism  of  his  godly  example. 

"Mr.  Shaw  was  born,  as  we  have  understood,  in  the 
State  of  Indiana,  and  when  killed  had  attained  about  his 
forty-fifth  year.  Born  of  poor  parents,  and  deprived  early 
in  life  of  his  father,  for  many  years  his  existence  was  one 
long  struggle  with  ill-fortune ;  but  by  indomitable  pluck, 
integrity,  and  native  genius,  he  conquered  an  education, 
helped  his  widowed  mother,  and  became  one  of  the 
brightest  lights  in  the  pulpit  of  the  '  Church  of  the  Dis- 
ciples.' As  he  attained  to  years  of  early  manhood  he 
entered  somewhat  into  the  dissipations  of  youth,  but  be- 
coming convinced  of  the  value  of  a  Christian's  life,  he 
put  aside  his  violin  and  gave  up  the  ball-room,  and  hence- 
forth his  career  became  one  of  glorious  results  in  the 
spread  of  the  gospel.  For  eighteen  or  twenty  years  his 
fame  has  been  all  over  the  North,  among  the  people  of  his 
faith,  as  an  evangelist  of  unequaled  powers,  and  as  a 
*  sweet  singer  in  Israel,'  that  ranked  him  with  the  gentle 
and  pious  P.  P.  Bliss,  of  equally  mournful  memory.  It 
was  Mr.  Shaw's  habit  to  keep  a  diary  of  his  evangelical 
labors.  At  one  time  during  the  year  1877,  he  showed  the 
writer  the  last  entry  of  the  persons  baptized  by  his  own 
hands  in  the  seventeen  years  of  his  ministry.  They  footed 
up  the  marvelous  number  of  over  eleven  thousand!  To  a 
minister  of  ordinary  physical  powers,  zeal,  or  stationary 
life,  the  above  figures  would  seem  incredible— nay,  they 


220 


LIFE  OF 


would  be  impossible- but  it  must  be  remembered  that 
Elder  Shaw  was  peculiarly  an  evangelist.  His  musical 
gifts,  both  vocal  and  instrumental,  were  wonderful;  his 
energy  and  zeal  in  the  cause  of  truth  were  amazing,  and 
his  powers  of  physical  endurance  such  as  are  not  pos- 
sessed by  one  man  in  ten  thousand.  These,  added  to  the 
spotless  purity  of  his  private  life,  and  his  dauntless  pres- 
entation of  the  truth  everywhere  and  on  all  occasions, 
make  it  easy  enough  to  understand  how  one  man  could 
accomplish  such  a  work  in  such  a  comparatively  brief 
period  of  time. 

It  seems  that  Rushville,  Indiana,  was  most  entitled  to 
be  called  his  old  homestead,  and  thither  his  mourning 
family  have  followed  the  remains  to  their  final  resting- 
place.  Before  coming  to  Columbus,  upon  the  call  of  this 
congregation,  he  preached  two  years  in  the  city  of  Chi- 
cago, while  the  grand  scope  of  his  labors  extend  from 
Pennsylvania,  in  the  East,  to  Kansas  in  the  West.  In 
the  field  of  spiritual  song  he  had  published  five  books,  and 
had  nearly  ready  for  the  press  when  he  died  a  volume  of 
sermons. 

''But  what  are  all  these,  and  many  other  outside  facts, 
in  comparison  with  the  knowledge  of  Brother  Shaw  that 
all  of  us  here  in  Columbus  have  of  him,  and  keep  in  such 
precious  remembrance !  About  a  year  and  a  half  ago  he 
came  to  this  city  and  began  a  series  of  discourses  in  the 
church.  It  was  at  the  time  of  the  'big  snow.'  Since 
then  (and  we  know  we  shall  not  be  accused  of  denom- 
inational partiality  in  the  statement)  he  has  retained  a 
hold  upon  the  intellectual,  the  religious,  and  the  social 
attention  of  the  community,  that  has  never  found  a  par- 
allel in  her  midst.    Even  those  who  differed  from  him 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


221 


most  upon  points  of  doctrine  never  for  a  moment  doubted 
the  resistless  sincerity  of  his  convictions,  while  how  like 
moral  cowards  do  we  all  feel  and  seem  in  contrast  with 
that  heroic  courage  that  never  hesitated  to  tell  the  truth 
upon  any  subject,  and  upon  all  occasions! 

''But  the  great,  the  starry  beauty  of  his  character,  was 
its  noble  consistency.  Just  what  he  appeared  in  the  pul- 
pit and  on  the  streets,  he  was  indeed  at  home,  or  in  the 
social  circle — always  impetuous,  busy,  kind,  charitable, 
and  affectionate.  If  he  was  oftentimes  harsh  in  his  form 
of  expression,  no  man  was  more  ready  to  make  amends ; 
and  while  he  never  would  compromise  what  he  felt  to  be 
the  truth,  he  always  said  he  never  intended  to  wound. 
Only  toward  the  Devil  and  his  works  could  it  be  said  he 
bore  ill-will.  His  private  life  abounded  with  words  and 
deeds  of  charity.  It  may  literally  be  said  that  '  he  went 
about  doing  good,'  and  this  to  a  degree  explains  the  fact 
that  he  was  ever  a  poor  man  in  this  world's  goods. 

"Perhaps  nothing  but  his  terrible  death  would  have 
recalled  the  fact  that  of  late  months  Brother  Shaw  has 
more  than  once  expressed,  in  his  own  touching  language, 
*a  longing  for  rest.'  He  had  overtaxed  his  powers  and 
knew  it,  and  having  accomplished  great  good,  he  perhaps 
felt  that  he  deserved  temporary  relief  from  his  labors.  In 
his  farewell  sermon,  before  going  upon  his  last  trip,  he 
seemed  to  have  a  presentiment  of  his  fate — at  least  he 
alluded  to  the  fact  that  we  might  never  see  each  other 
again,  and  he  wanted  us  to  pray  for  him,  and  if  we  were 
not  permitted  to  meet  again  on  earth,  we  could  all  see 
each  other  in  heaven.  Nothing  the  writer  ever  heard 
could  exceed  the  pathos  and  tenderness  of  that  sermon ; 
and  so  heart-aching  is  the  memory  of  it  now  that,  coupled 


222 


LIFE  OF 


with  a  mournful  realization,  almost  makes  us  wish  we  had 
never  heard  it.  If  a  parting  under  special  divine  guidance 
could  ever  suggest  a  scene  of  to-day,  surely  we  commit 
(we  know  we  intend)  no  sacrilege  in  likening  it  to  that  of 
Paul  and  his  sorrowing  disciples  on  tlie  eve  of  the  apostle's 
final  departure  to  Jerusalem. 

''And  now  it  seems  strange  that  we  who  knew  and 
loved  him  so  well  shall  never  be  permitted  to  look  upon 
his  face  again.  That  the  giant  form,  the  hearty  salute, 
the  bright,  beaming  eye,  the  awkward  grace,  the  warm 
grasp  of  hand,  the  glorious  voice,  the  melting  tongue  (the 
tongue  so  full  of  heart  and  the  Savior's  love  one  almost 
forgot  the  power  of  logic  that  upheld  it),  are  all  lost  and 
hushed  in  the  thrall  of  death.  Only  sweet  and  tender 
memories — only  an  example  jeweled  vrith  countless  deeds 
of  Christian  faith  and  practice — remain  to  us,  pointing  to 
a  higher  sphere,  where  all  partings  are  unknown,  where 
no  tears  are  shed,  'where  the  wicked  cease  from  troubling, 
and  the  weary  are  at  rest!'  May  God  help  us  all,  for 
Christ's  sake.  J.  A.  S. 

"Columbus,  Mississippi,  yz/;z^  io,  1878." 

The  impression  made  in  scores  of  public  places 
may  be  learned  from  the  next  extract,  taken  from 
the  Christian  Standard  : 

"MEMORIAL  SERVICE. 

"A  TRIBUTE  FROM  THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH,  THE  TEMPERANCE 
PEOPLE,  AND  THE  COMMUNITY  OF  JACKSON,  MISSISSIPPI,  TO 
THE  MEMORY  OF  ELDER   KNOWLES  SHAW. 

"Sunday  evening,  August  4,  1878,  a  memorial  service 
was  held  in  the  Christian  Chapel,  in  this  city,  commem- 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


223 


orative  of  the  life  and  services  of  the  late  Elder  Knowles 
Shaw. 

**The  meeting  was  opened  in  due  form,  and  its  object 
announced  by  the  pastor,  when  Dr.  S.  R.  Jones  was  called 
to  the  chair,  and  J.  C.  Johnston  appointed  secretary. 

**Col.  F.  T.  Cooper  then  offered  the  following  resolu- - 
tions,  which,  after  discussion,  in  which  F.  T.  Cooper,  J. 
W.  Harris,  H.  Musgrove,  and  J.  L.  Power,  took  part, 
were  unanimously  adopted : 

' '  PREAMBLE. 

**0n  the  7th  of  June,  1878,  Elder  Knowles  Shaw  was 
killed  in  a  railroad  wreck  in  Texas,  between  Dallas  and 
McKinney,  after  having  just  concluded  a  successful  series 
of  Christian  meetings  at  the  former  place.  A  few  moments 
previous  to  this  disaster  he  was  conversing  with  a  Meth- 
odist preacher,  and  the  last  words  which  fell  from  his  lips 
upon  mortal  ears  were,  *  Oh !  it  is  a  grand  thing  to  rally 
the  people  to  the  Cross  of  Christ !'  With  these  inspiring 
words  ringing  upon  the  air,  the  crash  came  which  sud- 
denly and  tragically  transferred  him  to  another  sphere. 
They  are  words  of  great  import.  They  speak  a  sentiment 
of  heavenly  sublimity,  and  give  a  just  clew  to  the  char- 
acter of  the  man.  Perhaps  it  was  a  fitting  finale  to  a  life 
of  purity  and  devotion,  of  continued  success,  and  without 
a  reproach,  that  he  should  quickly  be  brought  face  to  face 
with  his  Master  with  these  talisraanic  words  fresh  upon 
his  mouth. 

''Only  a  few  short  weeks  ago  Elder  Shaw  labored  in 
this  church  for  the  cause  of  Christ,  temperance,  and 
humanity.  His  zeal,  his  eloquence,  his  magnetism,  have 
left  their  impress  upon  the  hearts  of  our  people  of  all 
classes.    We  remember  him  as  the  earnest  and  faithful 


224 


LIFE  OF 


Christian  evangelist,  as  the  fearless  champion  of  the  truth, 
as  the  untiring  friend  and  lal)orer  in  the  promotion  of 
temperance,  as  the  devout  and  consecrated  man  of  God, 
whose  soul  went  out  in  sweet  charity  and  benevolence  to 
the  whole  human  race,  and  whose  indomitable  will  never 
flagged  in  good  works.  His  untimely  death  has  spread  a 
gloom  over  us,  and  we,  as  temperance  people,  as  members 
of  his  church,  as  friends  of  the  gospel,  as  an  entire  com- 
munity, desire  to  testify  our  appreciation  of  his  worth,  our 
keen  sense  of  bereavement  at  his  death,  and  to  give  formal 
expression  to  the  sorrow  that  fills  our  hearts.  Therefore, 
we  declare : 

"resolutions. 
That  although  in  the  death  of  Elder  Shaw,  his 
church,  the  temperance  people,  and  the  Christian  world, 
have  felt  the  giving  way  of  one  of  their  stanchest  pillars 
of  strength,  and  we  have  lost  a  friend  whom  we  had 
learnefl  to  love  and  honor,  yet  we  will  not  murmur  at  the 
rulings  of  Providence.  We  recognize  his  death  as  a  great 
loss  to  us  and  the  holy  cause  he  so  unwaveringly  plead, 
but  at  the  same  timr  we  recognize  it  as  a  great  gain  to 
him.  Hence  we  invoke  the  consolation  of  that  sublime 
Christian  submission  found  in  the  language  of  our  Re- 
deemer, 'Father,  thy  will  be  done!' 

"2.  That  we  cordially  approve  of  and  will  cheerfully 
co-operate  with  the  Knowles  Shaw  Monument  Association 
of  Rushville,  Indiana,  and  consider  it  a  privilege  to  con- 
tribute our  mite  to  the  erection  of  a  suitable  monument  to 
the  dead  evangelist,  and  for  the  support  of  his  surviving 
family. 

'*3.  That  we  tenderly  express  our  condolence  to  the 
grief-stricken  widow  and  orphans  of  our  deceased  brother, 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


225 


and  while  we  would  not  insult  their  agony  by  comparing 
our  feelings  and  sufferings  with  theirs,  yet  we  hope  to 
temper  the  heavy  calamity  to  them  as  much  as  we  can  by 
the  assurance  of  a  heartfelt  and  sorrowful  sympathy. 

"  S.  R.  Jones,  Chairman. 
"J.  C.  Johnston,  Secretary'' 

"MR.    cooper's  speech. 

Mr.  Preside7it : — In  presenting  these  resolutions  for  the 
action  of  this  memorial  meeting,  I  desire  to  add  a  word  or 
two  of  comment.  To  many  persons  it  may  appear  strange 
that  I  should  appear  in  this  role^  and  evince  so  much  gen- 
uine feeling  toward  the  memory  of  a  man  with  whom  I 
was  scarcely  acquainted  personally.  I  never  saw  him 
until  he  held  his  meetings  here  in  this  chapel  a  few  months 
ago.  I  am  not  a  member  of  his  church  -  alas  1  perhaps  I 
am  not  fit  to  be  a  member  of  any  church — but  I  attended 
several  of  his  meetings  here,  and  confess  that  I  waj  im- 
pressed by  him  as  I  have  been  impressed  by  few  men, 
with  a  profound  respect  and  honor  for  the  man.  I  saw  in 
all  his  movements,  heard  in  all  his  utterances,  read  in  all 
his  gestures,  and  realized  in  all  his  songs,  the  evidences  of 
a  sublime  devotion,  and  a  singleness  of  purpose,  looking 
to  the  salvation  of  souls  and  the  amelioration  of  his  fellow- 
men.  His  face  was  aglow  with  enthusiasm.  There  was 
fire  in  his  eye,  resolution  in  his  bearing,  earnestness  in  his 
speech,  and  eloquence  in  his  song.  'Oh,  brethren,'  he 
would  often  exclaim,  Met  us  sing  eloquently'  And  he  did 
sing  eloquently.  It  was  here  in  this  house,  and  under  his 
voice,  that  I  first  fully  realized  the  power  and  the  true 
eloquence  of  song. 

**Is  it  strange  that  such  a  man  should  inspire  homage 
15 


226 


LIFE  OF 


in  my  bosom?  The  interest  which  he  then  awakened 
prompted  me  to  watch  his  movements  since,  and  to  read 
snatches  of  his  history  in  the  various  newspapers  of  the 
country.  I  learn  from  these  sources  of  information,  that 
aUhough  Elder  Shaw  was  comparatively  a  young  man,  and 
suddenly  translated  from  earth  to  heaven  in  the  meridian 
of  his  life  and  at  the  zenith  of  his  fame,  yet  he  has  bap- 
tized with  his  own  hands  about  twelve  thousand  persons. 

' '  What  A  work  is  this  ?  How  shall  we  measure  its  great- 
ness ?    A  ^i"and  moral  army  rallied  to  the  cross ! 

' '  I  would  not  exaggerate  the  magnificent  results  of  ttii^ 
active  life,  but  here  are  twelve  thousand  personal  witnesses 
to  magnify  and  praise  them — twelve  thousand  gladdened 
souls  who  have  drank  the  waters  of  life  administered  by 
his  individual  hands.  And  when  we  come  to  consider  the 
vast  crowds  that  have  flocked  to  his  revivals,  and  after- 
ward sought  comfort  in  other  churches,  and  the  solemn 
rite  of  baptism  from  other  hands,  it  is  impossible  to  tell — 
it  is  a  thing  known  only  to  infinite  intelligence— how  many 
thousands  of  souls  have  been  quickened  under  the  magic 
of  his  ministration ! 

learn  also,  from  these  same  sources,  that  this  man, 
Elder  Shaw,  began  his  evangelical  work  early  in  life,  and 
that  for  the  last  fifteen  or  twenty  years  he  has  been  'going 
about  doing  good,'  with  no  thought  of  self,  absorbed,  in- 
tensely absorbed  in  his  mission,  apparently  as  free  from 
the  allurements  of  the  flesh  and  the  sordidness  of  avarice 
as  the  apostles  of  old.  At  last  he  fell,  translated  in  a 
twinkling,  in  the  full  vigor  of  health,  manhood,  and  intel- 
lect, at  the  prime  of  life,  in  the  midst  of  his  expanding 
and  ripening  field  of  usefulness,  without  a  moment's  warn- 
ing, he  was  tragically  cut  off— but,  like  all  true  soldiers 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


227 


desire  to  fall,  if  fall  they  must,  he  fell  with  his  full  armor 
on — 'he  fell  at  his  post.' 

"He  has  left  a  record  of  wonderful  activity,  and  without 
a  flaw.  His  success  has  been  marvelous,  and  there  is  no 
taint  upon  it  to  mar  its  sweetness.  The  man  does  not  live 
who  can  rise  up  now  and  point  to  a  single  blot  upon  his 
escutcheon.  Surely  such  a  character  -so  nearly  perfect, 
so  true,  so  devoted,  so  free  from  all  the  corroding  cankers 
of  humanity — deserves  homage.  In  commemorating  his 
virtues,  we  exalt  our  own  natures.  In  honoring  him,  we 
honor  ourselves." 

We  close  this  chapter  with  the  following  verses 
by  Miss  Mollie  McGee,  of  Columbus,  Mississippi, 
which  were  read  at  the  memorial  service,  of  which 
we  have  already  given  an  account : 

''IN  MEMORIAM. 

*^lVe  are  journeying  in  the  shade, 
He  where  flowers  72ez'er  fade. 
We  are  in  the  gloom  of  night, 
He  where  pinions  flash  with  hght. 
We  are  weary,  tempest  tossed, 
He  where  rest  is  never  lost. 
We  ^neath  Heaven's  mighty  dome, 
He  within  that  sacred  home. 

<«We  with  hearts  with  grief  now  riven, 
He  with  brow  now  crowned  in  Heaven. 
We  with  songs  that  soonest  tire, 
He  with  glad  angelic  choir. 
We  from  lost  ones  stand  apart, 
He  with  lost  ones  heart  to  heart. 
We  yet  to  cross  Death's  icy  river, 
He  bv  Life's  Fount  to  live  forever. 


228 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


"We  with  earth's  pilgrims  in  the  dusty 
He  with  seraphim  and  the  just. 
We  to  learn  still  more  of  sorrow, 
He  to  dread  no  coming  morrow. 
We  with  steps  that  go  astray, 
He  safe  beyond  life's  rugged  way. 
We  on  earth  with  blinded  eyes, 
He  lives  with  God  in  FaradiseP* 


LIFE  OF 


22g 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


Poem— What  the  ''Christian''  and  ''Standard''  Said— Chat- 
ten's  Last  Song — Farewell. 

The  loving  and  tender  words  found  in  the  pre- 
ceding chapters  seem  doubly  so  when  it  is  taken 
into  account  that  some  of  the  speakers  and  writers 
were  of  different  religious  denominations,  but  who, 
by  intercourse  with  Brother  Shaw,  had  learned  to 
know  and  love  him.  His  own  brethren,  all  over  the 
land,  paid  fitting  tributes  to  his  memory.  Of  these 
we  can  only  give  a  few.  With  the  sad  news  of  his 
death  there  came  a  request  that  the  author  should 
embody  his  own  sentiments  and  those  of  others  in 
verse.    This  was  done  briefly  as  follows : 

IN  MEMORY  OF  KNOWLES  SHAW. 

Gone  in  his  prime — too  soon,  alas!  too  soon 
For  us  the  sudden,  startling  summons  came, 

Which  called  our  brother  from  our  sight  away, 
Swift  as  the  prophet  in  his  car  of  flame. 

A  precious  gift  of  God  he  was  to  us; 

To  have  him  with  us  long  we  all  were  fain ; 
So  dear  he  made  himself  to  all  our  hearts. 

We  feel  it  hard  to  give  him  back  again. 


/ 


230 


LIFE  OF 


Sweet  as  the  songs  of  Judah's  shepherd  king 

To  Israel,  his  songs  to  us  shall  be; 
Sweeter,  now  that  ihe  singer  sweet  has  gone, 

And  deeper  graven  on  our  memory. 

A  reaper  in  God's  harvest,  many  sheaves 
By  his  strong  hand  were  safely  gathered  in; 

And  his  shall  be  the  bright  reward  of  those 
Who  to  God's  service  precious  souls  shall  win. 

A  red  cross  knight,  without  reproach  and  fear, 
Fresh  from  a  battle  nobly  fought  and  won; 

Seeking  another  field  he  bravely  fell, 

Just  as  he  wished,  with  all  his  armor  on. 

His  soul  is  now  with  Christ  in  paradise; 

Why,  then,  should  we,  who  loved  him  so,  be  sad, 
When  his  freed  spirit  from  its  happy  home 

Looks  down  in  love  upon  us,  and  is  glad? 

All  the  papers  of  the  brotherhood  of  which  Brother 
Shaw  was  a  member,  made  fitting  mention  of  his  life 
and  labors.  We  have  only  room  for  the  two  follow- 
ing— the  first  from  the  Christian: 

BROTHER  SHAW  IS  DEAD.  . 

"We  know  this  announcement  will  carry  sorrow  to 
thousands  of  hearts  as  it  has  already  to  our  own.  The 
city  papers  of  last  Saturday  contained  a  dispatch  from 
Galveston,  Texas,  announcing  a  railroad  accident  one 
mile  south  of  McKinney,  on  the  Texas  Central,  in  which 
thirteen  persons  were  dangerously  wounded  and  Brother 
Shaw  killed.  The  accident  was  caused  by  a  broken  rail 
and  rotten  ties.  The  coach  in  which  Brother  Shaw  was 
riding  was  precipitated  down  an  embankment,  forty  feet, 
turning  over  three  times,  and  stopping  in  two  feet  depth 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


231 


of  water.  Brother  Shaw  was  under  the  car,  and  had  to  be 
cut  out.  A  hole  had  been  cut  in  his  head,  and  he  was 
dead  when  rescued  from  the  car.  To-day  (Monday)  we 
are  in  receipt  of  the  following  card,  which  not  only  con- 
firms the  sad  news  of  Brother  Shaw's  death,  but  gives 
Brother  Baxter's  name  as  one  of  the  wounded : 

*  McKiNNEY,  Texas,  /une  7,  1878. 

^ Editors  Christian: — Our  beloved  Brother  Knowles 
Shaw  is  dead.  He  was  killed  in  a  railroad  accident  near 
this  place  this  morning.  He  was  coming  to  hold  us  a 
meeting.  Had  just  closed  a  grand  meeting  at  Dallas, 
with  one  hundred  and  twelve  additions.  Brother  Baxter 
is  badly  hurt,  but,  we  hope,  not  dangerously. 

" 'Your  sister,  Ella  M.  Price.' 

"Thus  the  sweet  singer,  the  tender  and  tearful  pleader 
with  sinners,  the  great  evangelist,  the  untiring  and  unceas- 
ing worker  for  Christ,  has  been  cut  off  suddenly,  in  the 
prime  of  his  life  and  in  the  midst  of  his  usefulness.  Over 
eleven  thousand  souls  have  been  won  to  Christ  by  the 
gospel  as  sung  and  preached  by  him.  Few  men  among 
us,  if  any,  have  so  large  a  circle  of  personal  acquaintances 
as  Brother  Shaw  had.  He  has  held  meetings  in  many 
States  of  the  Union,  and  in  most  of  our  principal  cities. 
Thousands  have  thus  learned  to  love  him  for  his  works' 
sake,  and  will  mourn  to  learn  of  his  violent  death.  Our 
own  heart  is  too  sad  to  say  much  now.  At  another  time 
we  hope  to  give  our  readers  a  suitable  notice  of  the  life 
and  labors  of  this  remarkable  man  of  God. 

"Brother  Shaw  could  not  be  regarded  as  a  man  of  extra- 
ordinary intellectual  grasp,  or  great  logical  power.  He 
could  make  a  plain  argument,  and  was  not  without  the 


232 


LIFE  OF 


power  of  correct  reasoning;  but  his  greatness  did  not 
consist  in  these  things.  His  heart-power,  and  exhaustless 
enthusiasm,  that  seemed  to  flow  hke  a  perennial  fountain ; 
his  accurate  knowledge  of,  and  deep  sympathy  with,  hu- 
manity in  its  humblest  conditions — these  were  his  resources 
of  power.  The  vilest  sinner  that  ever  came  tremblingly 
forward  to  confess  Christ,  under  his  appeals,  was  met  with 
the  same  glad  welcome  that  he  extended  to  those  in  the 
highest  social  position.  To  save  sinners  was,  with  him,  a 
controlling  passion.  For  this  he  Hved  and  labored,  and 
in  pursuance  of  this  grand  work  he  died. 

"Few  men  have  such  power  to  reach  the  hearts  of 
people  as  that  possessed  by  our  lamented  evangelist.  We 
have  often  seen  whole  congregations  in  tears,  including 
hardened  sinners,  as  he  narrated,  in  his  own  inimitable 
way,  some  touching  incident,  usually  connected  with  his 
own  experience  in  the  labor  of  the  gospel.  We  have  never 
heard  a  man  so  gifted  in  the  power  of  exhorting  his  breth- 
ren and  sisters  to  be  faithful  in  their  Christian  duties.  His 
day-talks  to  the  members  exceeded  anything  we  have  ever 
heard  from  any  other  man,  taking  them  through  a  whole 
meeting. 

' '  We  have  often  longed  for  his  exhaustless  flow  of  enthu- 
siasm and  hopefulness.  Nothing  damped  his  ardor.  He 
began  a  meeting  with  the  expectation  that  it  was  to  be  a 
glorious  revival,  and  worked  under  the  sdmulus  of  that 
confident  hope,  without  flagging  in  his  zeal  or  good  cheer. 
Gloomy  weather,  small  audiences,  and  other  kindred  cir- 
cumstances that  cool  the  ardor  of  most  men,  had  no  such 
effect  on  him.  He  talked  as  well  to  a  dozen  hearers  that 
had  come  out  through  a  storm  to  hear  him  as  to  a  crowded 
house.    There  were  the  same  beaming  face,  tuneful  voice 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


and  teartul  eyes,  pleading  with  sinners  to  be  reconciled  to 
God,  and  brethren  to  cling  closer  to  Christ. 

''There  are  those  who  could  not  approve  all  his  methods 
of  work,  and  certainly  some  of  them,  if  used  by  anybody 
else,  would  seem  entirely  out  of  place ;  but  he  was  him- 
self, and  had  his  own  way  of  working,  and  God  blessed 
his  work ;  and,  while  we  may  criticise  his  methods,  few  of 
us  can  be  as  efficient  as  he  was  in  winning  souls  to  Christ. 

"It  is  especially  comforting  to  know,  in  this  sad  hour, 
that  while  his  eccentricities  and  idiosyncrasies  have  some- 
times been  criticised,  his  fair  fame  is  unstained  by  even 
the  breath  of  suspicion.  His  character  as  a  Christian,  in 
all  his  labors  as  a  preacher  of  the  gospel  and  as  the  author 
of  several  popular  musical  works,  is,  so  far  as  we  know, 
without  reproach. 

"  May  God  bless  his  bereaved  family,  whose  hearts  are 
crushed  by  this  sad  calamity,  and  the  thousands  of  his 
converts  who  will  be  grieved  by  the  news  of  his  death. 
He  has  died  like  a  soldier,  on  the  field  of  duty,  with  his 
armor  on.  His  spirit,  like  that  of  the  lamented  Bliss, 
took  its  departure  from  earth  amid  the  terrible  crash  of  a 
railroad  disaster;  thus  emphasizing  the  lesson  he  has  so 
often  taught  about  the  importance  of  being  always  ready. 
When  we  shall  all  of  us,  '  Gather  round  the  great  white 
throne,'  among  the  voices  of  the  innumerable  choir  that 
shall  '  Sing  God's  praise  through  endless  days/  we  shall 
doubtless  hear  the  swelling  tones  of  our  beloved  evan- 
gelist, ascribing  praise  and  honor  and  dominion  to  that 
Savior  whom  he  loved  so  well  and  served  so  faithfully. 

"We  pray  for  Brother  Baxter's  speedy  recovery,  lest  we 
have  sorrow  upon  sorrow. 

"We  are  indeed  grateful  to  God  that  Brother  Baxter 


234 


LIFE  OF 


was  spared  to  his  family  and  to  the  Church  of  God.  And 
we  are  grateful,  that,  since  Brother  Shaw  has  been  taken 
from  us,  he  leaves  so  bright  an  example  of  earnest  and 
heroic  devotion  to  the  Master.  Fitting  words  are  these 
with  which  to  close  such  a  life :  'Oh !  it  is  a  grand  thing 
to  rally  people  to  the  Cross  of  Christ!'  May  his  brethren 
in  the  ministry  catch  the  inspiration  of  these,  his  last 
words,  and  lift  higher  the  banner  of  the  cross,  so  that  in 
his  deatli,  as  well  as  in  his  life,  he  shall  have  given  a 
renewed  impetus  to  the  cause  he  loved  so  well." 

The  CJiiistian  Standard,  after  giving  the  sad  intel- 
ligence of  his  death,  says : 

*'It  thus  appears  tiiat  suddenly,  without  a  moment's 
warning,  this  earnest,  ever-busy  servant  of  God  was  called 
home.  In  death,  as  in  life,  there  was  dispatch.  We  judge 
that,  if  he  had  been  consulted  about  the  time  and  manner 
of  his  death,  he  would  have  said :  *  Let  it  be  when  the 
Lord  will,  and  let  it  be  without  long  waiting,  or  lingering 
disease.'  As  one  of  our  sweetest  sacred  poets  has  ex- 
pressed it — 

**  *0  that  without  a  lingering  groan 
I  may  the  welcome  call  receive ; 
My  body  with  my  charge  lay  down, 
And  cease  at  once  to  work  and  live.' 

<'We  made  the  acquaintance  of  Brother  Shaw  some 
eighteen  years  ago,  when  we  accompanied  Alexander 
Campbell  on  a  preaching  tour  through  Indiana.  It  was 
at  Rushville.  He  was  just  beginning  to  feel  his  strength 
as  a  preacher.  He  was  clear-headed,  but  with  a  tinge  of 
enthusiasm  in  his  work,  and  a  ceaseless  restlessness  of 
manner,  which  foreshadowed  the  untiring  energy  with 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


whicii  he  prosecuted  his  labors  until  his  dying  moment. 
In  all  seasons,  in  all  places,  under  all  circumstances,  he 
was  the  same  hopeful,  earnest,  indefatigable  worker, 
whether  in  the  pulpit  or  out  of  it.  With  ability  to  preach 
the  gospel  clearly,  pointedly,  fearlessly,  he  mingled  some 
eccentricities  of  style,  manner  and  action,  which  excited 
curiosity,  and  sometimes  subjected  him  to  sharp  criticism. 
But  his  manner  was  his  own,  and  befitted  him  alone.  Of 
his  purity  of  life  and  singleness  of  purpose  none  that 
knew  him  entertained  a  doubt.  His  dear  love  of  music, 
and  his  genius  for  poetical  and  musical  composition,  he 
made  tributary  to  his  one  great  passion — the  salvation  of 
souls.  His  success  as  a  preacher  was  greater  than  that  of 
most  preachers— nor  was  he  lacking  in  the  qualities  essen- 
tial to  a  teacher.  For  incisive,  pungent,  fearless  appli- 
cation of  scripture  doctrine  he  had  few  equals.  His  suddea 
departure,  in  the  prime  of  life,  at  a  time  when  he  was 
achieving  great  success,  can  not  but  be  mourned  by  myr- 
iads as  a  great  loss  to  the  church  and  to  humanity.  To 
his  family,  this  sudden  bereavement  will  be  a  crushing 
calamity.  May  the  God  of  all  consolation  comfort  their 
hearts  in  this  season  of  bitter  anguish.  Let  the  living  be 
animated  and  strengthened  to  greater  zeal  and  devotion 
by  the  bright  example  of  this  remarkable  man,  and  let  us 
all  be  ready  for  the  summons  from  the  Master,  for  in  such 
an  hour  as  we  think  not,  the  Son  of  Man  cometh." 

As  a  fitting  close  of  these  notices,  we  can  think 
of  nothing  better  than  the  following  spirited  song, 
which  was  written  by  the  venerable  Elder  James 
Challen,  of  precious  memory,  in  his  seventy-seventh 
year.    It  was  the  last  production  of  his  pen : 


230 


LIFE  OF 


•'KXOWLES  SHAW— THE  DEAD  EVANGELIST. 

"  His  last  words  before  he  was  killed  on  a  wrecked  train  of  a  railroad  in 
Texas,  June  7th,  1878,  were,  ''Tis  a  grand  thing  to  rally  the  people  to  the 
Cross  of  Christ.' 

"  'T  was  the  battle-cry  of  one  who  was  coming  from  the  field, 
Who  in  courage  never  faltered,  and  to  fear  would  never  yield, 
With  his  armor  bright  and  perfect,  and  with  ready  sword  in  hand. 
As  he  bore  the  cross  of  Jesus  in  triumph  through  the  land. 

Chorus.  ^ 
**  *  'Tis  a  grand  thing  to  rally  the  people  to  the  cross,' 
And  for  the  name  of  Jesus  to  count  all  things  but  loss: 
To  lift  on  high  his  banner,  who  died  our  souls  to  save, 
And  faithful  in  his  service,  to  be  earnest,  strong  and  brave. 

Rally,  rally,  rally  to  the  cross. 
To  the  cross  of  Him  who  died  a  ruined  world  to  save. 

••In  the  vigor  of  his  youth,  and  with  talents  rich  and  rare, 
With  a  faith  that  never  faltered,  and  a  soul  to  do  and  dare. 
He  gave  his  life  to  Jesus — Him  who  died  for  me  and  you  — 
And  was  faithful  to  his  Leader,  and  to  his  conscience  true. 
Owrus. 

"  He  preached  the  cross  of  Jesus  to  sinners  night  and  day, 
And  drew  them  to  the  Savior,  the  true  and  living  way ; 
At  home,  in  large  assemblies,  he  taught  both  young  and  old. 
And  urged  his  fellow  soldiers  the  ancient  Fort  to  hold. 
Chorus. 

•'He  sung  the  songs  of  Zion,  with  heart  and  lips  afire; 
With  consecrated  soul  and  voice  he  struck  the  trembling  lyre; 
With  words  of  invitation,  he  melted,  conquered,  won  ; 
Till  his  work  of  faith  was  finished,  and  his  earthly  race  was  run." 
Chorus. 


Numerous  as  are  the  extracts  given,  they  form 
only  a  small  part  of  what  was  said  and  written  con- 


KNOWLES  SHAW. 


cerning  him.  From  these,  however,  we  can  not  fail 
to  gather  the  impression  that  was  made  in  every 
community  where  he  was  known,  by  his  Hfe  and 
labors.  His  whole  life  was  one  of  great  activity. 
He  would  not  have  died  unknown,  even  if  he  had 
directed  his  energies  into  some  other  channel. 

His  religious  life  was  one  of  entire  consecration ; 
he  gave  himself,  with  all  his  powers,  to  the  Master's 
service.  He  entered  upon  that  life  with  a  noble  pur- 
pose, pursued  it  with  untiring  effort,  was  eminently 
successful  in  winning  souls — his  converts  numbering 
eleven  thousand  four  hundred — nearly  six  hundred 
for  every  year  of  his  ministry — and  fitly  ended  his 
earnest,  useful  career,  with  the  memorable  words, 
which  for  years  to  come  shall  arouse  a  kindred  spirit 
in  others,  **0h!  it  is  a  grand  thing  to  rally  the 
people  to  the  Cross  of  Christ."  Then,  till  the  dawn- 
ing of  the  endless  brighter  day, 

Farewell,  dear  brother,  while  our  falling  tears 
But  feebly  tell  how  much  we  mourn  thy  loss, 

May  thy  example  lead  us  all,  like  thee, 
To  rally  sinners  to  the  Savior's  cross. 


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